Merry Christmas Baby or I'll be Home for Christmas
by Late Night Muses
Summary: FINISHED! When a child is murdered in Pleasant Valley, the people in the town immediately blame Spot. When Spot is forced to leave town or face a lynching mob, he promises his family that he will return before Christmas. Will he be able to return in time?
1. Default Chapter

**Chapter 1:**

Spot quietly opened the door and stepped aside to allow Rae to enter.  She walked over to the door of the parlor while he closed and locked the front door.  She smiled when she saw all the children sleeping on various pieces of furniture.

"Looks like a few someones were waiting for our return," she whispered to Spot.

"Indeed..." He smiled as well.

Andy was the first to stir. Lifting his head up over the couch with a yawn, he spotted them. "You're back! You're back!" he shrieked excitedly.

Ann sat up and rubbed her eyes sleepily.  "Momma? Daddy?" she blinked. "Momma! Daddy!" she squealed vaulting out of the chair she was sharing with Chris and running over to them.

Chris lurched with a grunt and peered around, wondering just who woke him up. Then he saw Rae and Spot being tackled by Ann and Andy, and he nudged Julie awake. "They're back."

"Who? What?" she asked, her eyes still closed.

Across the room Spot pulled Ann and Andy away from Rae. "Be careful you too."

"Why?" they chirped simultaneously.

Rae sent Spot a look that said, 'Do we tell them?'

He thought a moment about Ann's jealousy to Kendra and finally nodded with a sigh. "They'll find out eventually anyway... better get them prepared now."

"Find out what?" Ann asked.

"Prepare us for what?" Andy added curiously.

Rae knelt in front of Ann and pulled the girl into a hug. "A little brother or sister."

"What? How come?"

"Dr. Trent told us that you two are going to get a little brother or sister around Christmas time."

"Why? Aren't you happy having a baby already?" She meant Kendra.

"Of course we are sweetheart, but sometimes mommies and daddies can have more than one baby."

"But why do you want one? -I- don't want one..." She pouted a little.

"I'm sorry that you don't want another baby, sweetheart, but we can't change our minds now."

"How come? Can't you just tell it to come back later?"

"Because it doesn't work that way." She kissed Ann's forehead. "No more questions for tonight.  Upstairs to your beds. ALL of you."

Ann sighed. Julie gave Rae a smile. "Congratulations," she said, taking the little girl's arm and leading her up the stairs.

"Thank you Julie," Rae whispered with a sigh, as she watched the two girls walk up the stairs.

"I want it to be a BOY!" Andy exclaimed as Chris dragged him up the stairs. "There are too many GIRLS here!"

"Even I would have to agree with him on that one," Molly said, carrying Kendra up the stairs.

Rae smiled. Glancing at Spot, she asked, "What are you hoping for? A girl or a boy?"

He wrapped his arms around her, "Does it matter?"

"No," she nestled her head beneath his chin. "I was just curious, is all."

"I'd love to have a little girl that looked as beautiful as her momma...but a little boy would be fine too....just so long as he doesn't look like me."

She kissed him gently. "If it's a little boy, I want him to look exactly like his handsome father." She rested her forehead on his. "And don't you dare argue with me."

"Oh? And what will you do if I argue?" he teased.

Rae just smiled impishly.

He threw his head back and laughed.  "Come on, Mrs. Conlon.  To bed with you, it was a long trip."

She pouted a little but didn't feel up to arguing with him. Not now anyway.  She stopped him at the top of the stairs, "I want to tuck them in like we used to.  I haven't done that in a while."

Spot lifted a brow. "But-"

"No buts. It's not going to take THAT much out of me."

He sighed in defeat and followed her into the girls' room.  She stopped beside the bed and bent over to kiss Ann's forehead, "Goodnight Miss Annie," she whispered, tucking the covers tighter around the little girl's shoulders.

"Night Momma." Ann wrapped her arms tightly around Rae's neck. "Night Daddy." She did the same to Spot.

"Good night, sweetheart." Spot said, kissing her forehead

They said goodnight to Julie as well and then headed for the boys' room.

Chris was already asleep again when they entered the room, but Andy was sitting up on the edge of the bed. "Momma?" he whispered as they neared him.

"What?" she whispered, sitting next to him.

He crawled into her lap and wrapped his arms around her neck, "Are you all better now? Or are you still sick?"

"Well... I don't know. The baby makes me feel a little sick sometimes, but it'll get better soon."

"I want you to be all better now, so that you can play with me and Annie like you used to."

With a smile, she kissed his head. "Maybe you can talk Daddy into letting me play with you two more often." She grinned at Spot.

"We'll talk about it some more tomorrow.  You should be sleeping right now." Spot said.

She leaned over and kissed Andy on the head. "Go to sleep now, all right sweetheart?"

"Yes ma'am."

Standing, she let Spot lead her from the room. "I missed them," she murmured, resting her head on his shoulder. "And we weren't gone that long at all."

He kissed the side of her head, "I did too."

With a final sigh, she said with a grateful tone in her voice, "Let's get to bed, shall we?"

"Good idea.  You look exhausted."

"I am a little tired," she admitted

"I told you, I told you," he said with a small smile, leading her into the room. He finally relaxed, seeing the familiar setting. Yes... Brooklyn would never feel quite as much like home anymore.  Rae changed into her nightgown and dropped into bed, sound asleep before her head hit her pillow.  Spot smiled, kissing her forehead before closing his eyes and falling asleep himself.

* * *

Rae woke early the next morning, feeling better than she had in a long while.  She kissed Spot's cheek before crawling out of bed and getting dressed.  She quietly made her way downstairs and was surprised to see Nick and Noelle sitting at the kitchen table drinking cups of coffee.  It had to only be maybe 6:30 am at the latest. "Good morning," they said simultaneously.

"Morning," she said with a yawn, joining them at the table.

"Did you two have a nice trip?" Noelle inquired with a small smile over the rim of her glass.

"We sure did," Rae answered, "And your inkling was right."

Her smile broadened. "How wonderful!"

"I don't think Ann is too thrilled with the idea."

"How did she deal with Kendra?"

"Ran away," Nick replied.

Rae nodded grimly.

"She's gotten where she doesn't even want to be around Kendra anymore," Spot said coming into the kitchen. Rae jumped with a start and watched him cross to sit near her. He kissed her cheek, "Feeling better?"

"Much, thank you."

"Did you two enjoy your trip?" Nick asked, passing them a plate of biscuits he had made.

"We both needed to get away for a while. Thank you for watching the children."

"You're more than welcome," Noelle replied. "It's been so long since Nick and I had children around..."

"How many children do you have?" Rae asked.

Nick and Noelle grinned at one another. "Plenty."

Rae smiled at Spot.  They knew what that was like.  Rae turned to Noelle suddenly, "Could you show us the tunnel?"

Noelle blinked, stunned for a moment, and appeared not to understand.

"You wrote about a tunnel that leads from the house to the barn..." she prompted.

"Oh yes!" Noelle laughed a little. "I had forgotten about it."

"We would like to know where it is in case one of the children discover it and decides to use it to hide from us," Spot explained.

Nick laughed heartily. "That's exactly what WE had do deal with..." Wiping his mouth with a napkin, he stood. "Well, Noelle? Shall we?" He held out the crook of his arm for her. Her only answer was to smile at him and take his arm. "This way," he called to Rae and Spot over his shoulder.

Spot stood and pulled Rae to her feet. He gave her a quick kiss. "Good morning," he whispered, before following the older couple.

"Morning," she whispered in reply with a smile. 

* * *

Rae and Spot were quietly conversing on the couch when Ann came down the stairs.  She climbed up on the couch and sat in Spot's lap. "Daddy, does Momma have to have a baby?"

"Well, yes. You can't just stop a baby from coming."

She folded her arms across her chest. "But we don't need another baby. We don't even need the one we got."

"Ah, we may not NEED one, but Momma and I WANT one."

"Why? You already got me and Andy and Chris and Julie.  We don't NEED a new baby and we don't NEED Kendra."

"Ann, don't give me that tone of voice. It's going to get you into a lot of trouble," Spot said sternly.

She poked her lower lip out further. "I still think we don't need a baby," she muttered.

"The baby is coming whether you like it or not, missy. No matter what, Momma and I will still love you just as much after the baby comes as we do now."

"I don't un'erstan' why we need a new baby...we have a baby already."

"Well, sweetheart," Rae began, "Daddy and I want a baby of our own. Kendra is Molly's baby. She's just living with us."

"But Molly gave Kendra to us, doesn't that make her ours?"

"Yes..." Rae faded off, looking at Spot, wondering just how to explain this to a five year old so she would understand.

"Kendra is ours because Molly gave her to us, but Momma and I want a baby that belongs all to us."

Ann's lip quivered a bit and she sniffed. "Can we give Kendra back then?" 

"If Molly decides that she wants Kendra back, then yes we will give her back..." Rae forced Ann to look her in the eye. "But no pestering Molly, got it?"

She wrinkled her nose and puffed her hair out of her eyes, but finally she nodded. "Yes ma'am."

"If I find out that you were pestering Molly, you will be in big trouble right?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good! Now tell us what you did while we were gone."

"Well... me an' Andy helped Nick and Noelle real good... And we learned how to milk the cow- it's scary!"

Spot grinned and kissed the side of her head. "Did you play with Kendra any?"

Ann wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

"Maybe you should," Rae suggested. "You may just like her."

"Babies are no fun. They can't play dolls or cards or play games outside..."

"But they grow up and before you know it, they're old enough to play all those fun games with him.

"But I want to play games with her NOW! Chris doesn't like to play with me...Molly says she's too big to play with me...Julie likes to read all the time..and Andy would rather play with Chris..."

"Well, this IS a dilemma," Spot replied, hugging her. "We need to get you a playmate, huh?"

She nodded and rested her head against him.   She sat up suddenly. "Momma? Daddy? Why did Nick and Noelle leave?"

Rae and Spot glanced at one another. "They left? When?"

"Before I came in here."

"Did... did you see them leave?" Rae asked, a bit confused.

Ann nodded. "They told me goodbye and then left."

Spot looked just as puzzled as Rae. "I wonder why they didn't tell us anything..."

Ann reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out a slip of paper and handed it to Rae.  "Noelle gave this to me."

Spot and Rae exchanged glances as Rae unfolded the paper and read the contents.

"She says that their work here is complete.  That there are people who need them elsewhere."

"What does that mean? ... Do you think that's their way of telling us we took advantage of them or something?" Spot suddenly appeared very worried.

Rae shook her head. "I don't think so.  I hope not."

"Are they gonna come back?" Ann asked, eyes widening.

"I don't know sweetheart," Rae said.

"D'you think they are at the orphan place?" she asked hopefully. "Maybe we could go get them?"

"They are too old to go to the orphanage, Ann."

"But maybe?"

"No, princess," Spot said.

"But... but..." she sniffled. "I thought they were going to live here too..."

He rested her head on his shoulder, "They were needed somewhere else, baby."

"I'm not a baby," she protested.

Spot sighed, but he didn't know how to explain it so she wouldn't take it as an insult. "Alright then." He kissed her head and set her on the floor, "Why don't you run along and play...Momma's looking kinda tired and I think she wants to take a nap."

With a forlorn sigh, she nodded. "Yessir..." She gave both of them a hug and then wandered off.

Spot stood and pulled Rae to her feet. "Upstairs for a nap, Mrs. Conlon."

Rae pouted. "I swear, it feels like I just got down here..."

            He kissed the tip of her nose.  "I want to make sure that both you and that baby are healthy."

"I know," she replied with a small sigh. "But surely I don't have to lie around all the time."

"I don't want to take any chances."

"I know," she murmured, resting her head on his shoulder as they headed up stairs.

"I don't want anything to happen to you, darling.  I love you too much to let anything happen."

She gave a small smile. "I know."

He stopped and turned her to face him. "Promise me that you will take it easy. No lifting anything heavy, including the twins."

She gave him an amused little smile, but nodded. "I promise."

He kissed her gently, "I'll hold you to that, Conlon."

"I know you will."

He slipped his arm around her waist and turned her back toward their bedroom. "I love you, Rae."

"I love you too Spot."

He led her into the bedroom and over to the bed.  "Sleep well, my love," he said, tucking her in.

"Mm, if I fall asleep at all," she said with a slight grin.

"I'm going to stay here and make sure that you do."

She giggled. "All right then... it may be a long wait."

"Then I'll just wait."

She smiled. "You're such a wonderful husband..."

He kissed the tip of her nose, "You aren't such a bad wife..."

"I better not be!" She plucked Beauty and the Beast off the night table and gave him a grin before burying her nose into it.

He pulled the book from her hands. "Sleep, not read."

"But it'll help me..."

"It will help if you just close your eyes." She simply pouted.  He shook his head. "That pout doesn't work with me anymore."

"It should. If you loved me, it would," she teased.

He slipped one hand behind her head and kissed her.  "Want to say that to me again?" he asked a moment later.

"If I do, will you kiss me again?"

He smiled. "I might....might not..."

"Well, then, I guess it's hanging in the balance... I may, I may not." She grinned impishly, pulling the blankets around her shoulders.

He leaned down and kissed her again. "Happy now?"

"Very."

"Will you go to sleep now?"

"I told you, I'd try.... but it may take a long time since I'm not terribly tired..."

He placed his finger over her lips. "Stop talking and close your eyes."

"But-"

"Ah!" He kept his finger in place. "Close your eyes. Close them." She sighed and closed her eyes. "Good. Thank you." He planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Spot, I'm not tired...Do I have to take a...."

"Shh." He silenced her with a kiss. "Go to sleep. And no, I won't do it again if you keep talking, so don't even try it," he added with a grin, seeing her open her mouth again. She sighed and rolled away from him. Spot frowned in reply. He bent down and kissed her cheek. "You know you aren't mad at me," he whispered and got up to leave before she could retort. She wrinkled her nose a bit and tried to sleep.

He walked downstairs to the study and settled himself on the couch.  After a moment, Ann walked into the room with a newspaper.  "Daddy, will you teach me to read again?"

"Certainly." He patted his lap, which she promptly clambered up upon, and situated herself around so they could read the paper.

After an hour of going over the alphabet he folded the paper and moved her around in his lap so that she was facing him. "Do you love me, Miss Annie Conlon?"

She nodded. "I love you very much, Daddy."

He kissed her forehead. "Just checking.  Know what?"

"What?"

"I love you very much too."

She smiled happily and hugged him. "You're the bestest Daddy."

He hugged her back. "I think you're the bestest too." He stood. "Let's go see if Momma's up."

"Okay." Nodding, she hopped up and waited for him to stand.

He stood and scooped her in his arms, carrying her up the stairs.

Anne squeaked happily, calling into the room as they entered it, "Momma! I can read my letters!"

Rae rolled over, but slept on.

Spot grinned. "Momma sleeps pretty hard."

"How do we wake her up?"

"Well... think of all the ways you can wake up a person... She's very hard to wake up. Why don't you give a few a try?"

Ann climbed onto the bed and bounced on it. "Wake up, Momma!"

"What? What?" Rae yelped, sitting up suddenly, strands of hair, tangled over her sleepy face.

Spot laughed and brushed the hair away from her face. "I thought you weren't tired."

"Mm, well, forcing sleep does that to a person," she murmured with a slight yawn.

"How about we pack up a picnic and take the kids down to the lake?"

"Mm, sounds good." She stretched lazily, yawned again, and climbed out of bed.

"You really have gotten lazy, Rae." Spot remarked with a smirk.

She glared at him. "Don't you start now."

He kissed her. "You know I'm right."

"You're the one who keeps insisting I sleep."

"If you weren't so lazy I wouldn't insist that you sleep."

"I'm NOT LAZY!"

Ann tugged on Spot's sleeve. "Don't hate Momma, Daddy."

"I don't, sweetheart."

"But you were arguing...."

"Sometimes people argue, but it doesn't mean they hate one another."

"But Momma yelled at you and you always yell back."

Rae sighed. "I'm just a little grouchy is all... Sometimes I am when I wake up," she explained to Anne. "Daddy wasn't yelling because I was getting angry for silly reasons."

Ann nodded, still slightly confused.

Patting the girl's head, Rae headed off to the bathroom to wake herself up a little more.

Spot knelt down next to the little girl. "Go tell Andy and the others that we are going on a picnic...and maybe swimming."

Ann squeaked happily and, nodding, ran off, shouting, "We're going on a picnic everyone! We're going on a picnic!"

Spot laughed and followed Rae into the bathroom.  He wrapped his arms around her waist. "I love you," he whispered in her ear.

She leaned her head back on his shoulder. "I love you too," she murmured. "But never call me lazy again." Gently, she elbowed him in the stomach, straightened, and proceeded to comb her hair back into a loose braid.

He kissed the back of her head. "I won't."

"Thank you." Turning, she gave him a kiss. "Let's go find the children then, shall we?"

He smiled and slipped his arm around her waist as they headed down the stairs. Already, Julie had taken command and was preparing everyone for their outing. Rae and Spot smiled appreciatively at her, and Rae went on to help her load the picnic supplies into the basket Julie had found. They were soon down at the lake and Chris and Andy jumped right in while the girls set out the blanket.

"Be careful you two," Spot called out, though he meant mostly Chris, because he knew Andy could swim fairly well.

"I'm not going any more than knee-deep Spot, so you can stop being a mother hen." Chris yelled.

Spot rolled his eyes and helped the girls finish setting up before shooing off Ann and Julie to go play in the water with the boys. Then he sat beside Rae and sighed gratefully. "Lovely day, isn't it?"

"It sure is," she said as he rested his head in her lap.

"And I think now would be a splendid time to start planning for our baby."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Mm... names... Getting things ready- like clothes and such. I'm not sure. I've never planned for a baby before." He grinned at her.

She smiled, "I haven't either, silly."

"So, do you have any ideas for names?"

She giggled, "Spot Jr."

He laughed. "And what if it's a girl? Rae Jr. then?"

She poked him in the ribs, "You will not name our daughter that, mister."

"As long as you don't name any child of ours Spot Jr., then you have yourself a deal."

"Deal," she said, spitting in her hand.

He laughed, spat in his hand, and shook.

She made a face and wiped her hand on his shirt. "I don't see how I ever did that before. It's disgusting."

"Because now we have better ways of sealing agreements. Such as this." He leaned over and kissed her. "Not quite as disgusting, eh?"

"Not quite."

He pulled apart a slice of ham, nibbling on the pieces as he watched the children play in the water. "This life is so different from the one in Brooklyn... we'd never have been able to enjoy ourselves on a day like this there... always selling papes... but here..."

"We wouldn't be having this baby if we were still in Brooklyn."

"Nope. And we probably wouldn't be married either." He laughed faintly. "We'd probably still be throwing rocks at one another and pushing each other off the pier."

She sighed and curled up on the blanket next to him. "Do you ever wish that we could go back to those days?"

"Hmm, only to hear you scream at me while floundering in the water of East River," he teased.

"You were always so mean to me," she retorted.

"Can't say you were always the angel either, am I right?" When she didn't answer he sent her a look. "Who sewed my blanket and pillow to my bunk so that I couldn't get in my bed? And if I remember correctly that was in the middle of December in one of the coldest winters in history."

She was too busy biting her lip hard to reply, reliving the memory. A squeaky giggle managed to come out anyway.

"Shall I continue? How about the time that you 'fixed' my bunk so that when I jumped onto my top bunk it fell through to the floor?"

Her attempts to fight her laugher were weakening, and she snorted a few times, turning red from the repression.

"How about the time you took my clothes while I was in the shower and put them on the roof, soaking wet in the middle of December, and then when I went out to get them, you locked me out?"

That was the last straw; she couldn't hold it in any longer. Toppling over, Rae was hysterical, her sides in stitches from laughing so hard.

"I rest my case. You were no angel, missy."

"But it was fun," she managed to squeak through her giggles.

"For you maybe."

"Well, you admitted you weren't a prince either, so we're even."

"Why were you so mean to Daddy?" Andy asked walking up to the blanket, dripping wet.

"Pardon?" Rae sat up, glancing at Andy as he scooted onto the blanket to help himself to some ham.

"Why did you do all those mean things that Daddy just said?"

"OH, I... well I..." Rae stopped to think. Why DID she do them?

She glanced at Spot and then back at Andy, "When we lived in Brooklyn he used to push me into the water all the time, so I would do mean things to him."

"But ... I can't do that to Ann. You said it wasn't nice...."

"That's because it's not nice, Andy."

"Then why did you do it to each other?

"Because we didn't have parents to tell us that it wasn't nice," Spot said.

"Well..." Andy paused for a moment. "Well... that wasn't nice! There!"

Rae and Spot glanced at each other for a moment before they both started laughing.  "Don't laugh at me," Andy said with a pout.

They tried to regain their composure. "Sorry Andy, we didn't mean to seem like we were laughing at you. It was very thoughtful of you to tell us that." She elbowed Spot to prompt him to shut up sooner.

Andy didn't appear to notice either of them anymore, "Who's that?" he asked, pointing behind them.

Automatically, they glanced back. Brooklyn hadn't left them for good yet. "Oh... that's the... boy at the store..." Rae replied, furrowing her brow.

Spot sat up suddenly, "What's he doing around here?"

Rae shrugged, watching him. "I haven't the slightest..."

Ann ran from the water and plopped down on the blankets. "I remember you," she said as Tom neared the family.

"Oh, hello..." was Tom's startled reply. "Pardon me for intruding..." He gave Spot a fleeting, wary look.

Rae quickly spoke up. "Tom, this is my husband, Spot Conlon.  Darling, this is Tom, the nice young man who has been so helpful at the store."

"Hello," Spot replied cautiously, sizing the young man up with a typical Conlon look about his face.

Tom still looked rather unsure of Spot.   "He's my Daddy," Ann said, dropping onto Spot's lap.

"Is that so?" he replied, giving them an odd look. They didn't appear to be old enough to have children Ann's age.

Just then Molly walked down from the house where she had been feeding Kendra. "Hello Tom," she said, "What'cha doin' 'round these parts?"

Tom gave her a very startled look. "Molly! You're... here?"

She nodded, "Aye, been here for a while now."

"But... how? All the rumors... weren't you scared?"

"I didn't think that anyone really lived here at first. Besides, Andrew and I used to play around here all the time."

Spot appeared a little annoyed when Tom brought up the rumors. "Well... as you can see, none of them are true. We have many LIVE children here, and the lot of them are quite content," he announced grumpily.

Rae sighed, "Spot, please watch your temper."

Tom fidgeted a bit and Spot seemed satisfied that he still had his touch. "Care to join our picnic?" he asked, holding out a slice of ham as a peace offering. "It's not poisoned," he added when Tom hesitated.

Molly rolled her eyes, "Just take the ham, Tommy.  He's not that bad once you get to know him."

Tom did so and nibbled at the slice distractedly. "Nice place... I haven't seen this place since I was... oh, five years old or something, back when the Kringles' were still around. They were nice people, Nick and Noelle."

"It was kinda odd that they just up and disappeared," Molly said. "No one knew what happened."

Spot and Rae glanced quizzically between them. "Are you talking about the Nick and Noelle that was with us for a few months?" Rae finally asked Molly.

"Yep," Molly answered taking a bite of ham.

Spot nodded.

"They were back in town?" Tom inquired curiously. "I hadn't heard. Usually they stop by the shop to say hello..." He shrugged and took a big bite out of his ham.

"Nick was here for a while, but Noelle only showed up about a week ago."  Molly said.

"Hey, mister, wanna go swim?" Andy asked Tom, eyeing the water again. "Chris isn't much fun..." Chris, who had joined them just moments before, rolled his eyes.

Tom looked at the water for a moment. "I guess I could. Haven't been swimming since Andrew left."

"He came to visit too," Molly added, devouring a biscuit. "And guess what... I have a sister."

Tom looked at Spot and Rae, "A lot of strange things sure have happened since you two came to town."

Rae glanced at him. "How so?"

"Well, this house stood empty for twelve years...Nick and Noelle suddenly show up again...Andrew comes home with another sister...the rumors that are going around in town about this place..."

"Well... We don't know all of what your town is saying, but... we consider ourselves very fortunate," Spot replied after a long pause.

"The people in town are calling you a beast, because of..." Tom trailed off.

"Because of my face?" Spot asked.

"Well.... er... yeah."

"My Daddy got hurt in the factory," Ann said defensively.

"And he actually behaves better now then he used to," Rae teased, giving Spot a gentle jab with her elbow.

"Maybe you should learn from my example," he said, rubbing his ribs.

"But where would the fun in that be?" she grinned.

Chris leaned over to Tom. "Ignore them."

Rae continued to look at Spot, but pointed her finger at Chris. "Watch it," she said.

Chris just smirked.

"Are you gonna come swimming?" Andy asked again.

After a moment's hesitation, and prodding from a very impatient (but typical) Molly, he nodded and climbed to his feet to follow the boy. 

Rae turned to Molly, "How do you know Tom?"

"Well... we both lived in the same town all our lives, so naturally you know everyone... And he and Andrew were friends," she replied.

"Andrew... Oh, right, Blank," Spot muttered to himself.

"Well...at least one person has changed their mind about us," Rae said.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:  
  
It was nearing bedtime one night nearly two weeks after that picnic by the lake and Spot was reading a story to the family while Molly and Julie were mending clothes and Rae was letting Ann "help" her sew a new dress for Ann. Spot had just come to the part in the book where Belle and the beast met for the first time, when there came a knock on the door. Spot and Rae glanced at one another and exchanged puzzled glances. Placing a finger in the book, Spot stood and went to answer the door.  
  
A very frantic Tom stood on the other side of the door. "Ya gotta hide, Spot...they are coming after you!"  
  
"What?" Spot gave Tom a very puzzled look and wondered briefly if the young man had been drinking or something. "Coming after me? Who? Why?"  
  
"The men from town are on their way out here right now to hang you...and if you don't find a place to hide, they will in just a few minutes."  
  
Rae had just approached. "Hang Spot? Why? He didn't do anything!"  
  
"I know that and you know that, but they don't know that! They think he murdered someone from town. I only had a five minute head start, maybe."  
  
Rae held a hand up to her mouth and gasped, turning to Spot. "You have to get out of here, Spot."  
  
"But I can't run! I didn't do anything!"  
  
"If you don't they'll hang you!" she shrilled. "They think you're rotten to begin with, they won't listen!"  
  
"But I'm not going to leave you here alone to deal with them!"  
  
"I'll be fine. Chris and Julie are perfectly capable of helping. Just go!"  
  
"But Rae..." He stopped when she covered his mouth with her hand. "At least go hide in the tunnel until they leave," she pleaded.  
  
"But-"  
  
"Stop arguing and go! I want you alive to see our baby, you know?!" He sighed and quickly kissed her before darting up the stairs. "Go with him Tom," she said, "You can't be seen here." Tom nodded quickly and followed Spot.  
  
A moment later, Anne darted over and clung to Rae's leg. "What's going on, Momma?"  
  
Rae rested a shaking hand on the little girl's head. "Nothing, sweetheart, Momma needs to go sit back down." Suddenly, there were several angry knocks on the door and muffled voices of townspeople just outside. Rae took a deep breath and opened the door. "Can I help you?" she asked shakily.  
  
"Where is he?" screamed a burly man with black hair. "Where's the beast?!"  
  
"I don't know who you are talking about. There is no beast here."  
  
"You're hiding him in here, we know it! Come out beast! Come out!"  
  
"Please, sir, you are scaring my children."  
  
"Bring us the beast!" A man from the back of the crowd shouted.  
  
"Go in and get him!" And that's promptly what the man in front went to do. Pushing past Rae, he and the other townsfolk followed. The man who pushed Rae shoved her with enough force to knock her to the floor. Chris leapt to her defense, only to have a gun shoved in his face.  
  
"Leave my brother alone!" Julie yelled.  
  
"Shut up broad! Bring us the beast!"  
  
"He's not a beast!"  
  
"Either you bring him to us know or we search the house." the man in charge demanded.  
  
"I demand you leave at once, sir," Rae ordered shakily, climbing to her feet, "and come back in the morning, as is proper!"  
  
"It will be too late by morning. He will have gotten away, but then he probably already has, right missy?"  
  
Chris stepped in front of her. "We don't know what you're talking about. So get out and leave us alone!"  
  
The man looked at Rae who gave him her coldest glare. "Alright boys, let's go home. Someone warned them and he got away. Hopefully he's gone for good."  
  
Rae followed them to the door and slammed it shut, pulling the lock. A moment later, she turned, leaned against it, and promptly sank to the ground, shaking. Chris took one look at her and darted up the stairs to find Spot, calling over his shoulder for Julie and Molly to take care of her. Ann and Andy were already on the floor next to Rae, asking her what those "mean men" wanted. Spot raced in moments later. "Are you all right?" he asked worriedly. "Did they hurt you? If they did, so help me, I'll-... Chris said they pulled a gun?"  
  
"We're fine," she said. "I'm just a little shaken, that's all."  
  
He embraced her tightly. "Everyone else okay?" he asked the children, glancing around at them. They all nodded, Ann clinging tightly to Chris' hand.  
  
Rae glanced at him worriedly. "Maybe you should leave for a little while... 'til it all blows over?"  
  
"But, you heard them, they already thought I left... and it's not like they're going to come back repeatedly, right? I doubt they know about the passage."  
  
"Next time we may not have any warning. Please, Spot, get away from here until this all blows over."  
  
"I don't want to leave you here alone, Rae."  
  
"But I'm not alone, and I don't want to lose you because of this. Please..." she pleaded.  
  
Spot sighed heavily. "Where? I guess Brooklyn, hmm?"  
  
"Anywhere but here."  
  
Spot pushed her hair out of her eyes and kissed her forehead. "I guess I'll leave early in the morning."  
  
"It would probably be better to leave now. They may return early in the morning."  
  
"But..."  
  
She closed her eyes and sighed. "I don't want you to leave...."  
  
"But I know you're right...." he said with a sigh.  
  
She kissed him. "I'll go pack your clothes while you tell the children goodbye."  
  
He stopped her and placed a hand on the side of her face. "I love you," he whispered, kissing her gently.  
  
"I love you too," she whispered, her eyes full of tears. He kissed her once more and went to round up the children to explain, if he could, why he was going away. He found all of them, from Chris to Baby Kendra, in the living room. He entered the room with a sigh and sat on the couch, motioning for Ann to come sit in his lap. "I have to tell you all something... I'm ... going to go to Brooklyn for awhile..." he began.  
  
"Can we go too, Daddy?" Andy asked, crawling up next to his knee.  
  
"I'm afraid not."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because I have to go by myself this time, Andy. I may have to be gone for a long time."  
  
"Are those mean men making you leave?" Ann asked softly, staring at him with wide, trembling eyes.  
  
He sighed, "Yes, sweetheart. But don't worry, I'll be back."  
  
Ann clung to him. "I don't want you to go..."  
  
He kissed her head, "I know, princess, but if I don't go those men might come back and hurt one of you or maybe even Momma."  
  
"I don't want them to come back..." she murmured, sniffling. "They were scary... can't you beat them up?"  
  
"I wish I could, baby, but there are too many of them."  
  
"Chris could help..." He smiled gently.  
  
"I won't be gone forever."  
  
"When will you be back?" Andy asked. "Christmas?"  
  
Spot nodded. "I don't know, but I'll try very hard..."  
  
"Promise?" Ann asked.  
  
"I promise I'll try."  
  
Rae came back into the room, a small carpetbag in her hand. She gave it to Spot, eyes glittering with tears. "Be careful."  
  
"YOU be careful too." He kissed her gently.  
  
"I love you Spot."  
  
"I love you too," he whispered. "I'll see all of you soon, hopefully."  
  
Giving him a kiss, she finally said, "Please go now. They may come back." He gave them a small gesture of farewell and slipped out the door. She hastily crossed to the window and shoved the curtain aside, staring out into the darkness and hoping to catch one last glimpse of him. Ann followed, clinging to Rae's nightdress, and began to whimper. Hearing the little girl's whimpers, Rae led her to the couch and pulled Ann into her lap. "It's gonna be all right, sweetheart," Rae said, stroking the girl's hair.  
  
"I want Daddy back!" she wailed. Her cries probed those of Andy's and he began to bawl as well.  
  
"Come here, Andy," Rae said, patting the couch beside her and he climbed up next to her. "Everything will be just fine," she assured them, though she had a little trouble believing it herself.  
  
"But I want Daddy," Ann wailed again.  
  
"I know you do, sweetheart... But Momma's here." She kissed the tops of Ann and Andy's heads. Rae glanced up at the clock and then at the confused and tired faces of Chris, Molly and Julie. She sighed. "I think it's bedtime."  
  
"Nooo," Andy and Ann wailed, clinging to her.  
  
"It's way past time for all of us to be in bed."  
  
"I'm not tired...." Ann whimpered around a yawn. "I wanna wait 'til Daddy comes home..."  
  
"It's going to be a long time until Daddy comes home, Annie."  
  
"I can wait," she protested stubbornly, pouting.  
  
"Annie, please don't argue with me tonight." She pouted more and a few tears leaked over her cheeks. Turning to Rae, she clung to her. Rae stroked her hair, "I'm sorry for snapping sweetheart."  
  
"I don't want you to go like Daddy did..."  
  
"I'm not going to leave Annie." Gently prying Ann's arms from around her waist, Rae stood and picked her up. "Now come on... Bedtime."  
  
"Can I sleep with you, Momma?"  
  
"Just for tonight," she replied, kissing the side of Ann's head. "But not another peep, okay?"  
  
"Can I sleep with you too," Andy asked.  
  
Rae lifted a brow and smiled gently. "I suppose so."  
  
"Thank you Momma,"  
  
"You're welcome, sweetheart."  
  
"I'll lock up," Chris offered  
  
"Make sure it's tight," she advised. "And thank you..."  
  
"Your welcome."  
  
"I hope Spot and Tom are okay," she mused, heading up stairs with the twins. "Sleep tight, the rest of you," she called.  
  
* * *  
  
The next morning, Rae awoke to someone kicking her in the knee. Ready to chew Spot to bits, she opened her eyes to see that it was not Spot, but Ann. She frowned deeply when she recalled the previous night. "Oh, Spot," she sighed deeply, "what's going to happen to us?"  
  
"Momma?" Ann murmured, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "Is Daddy back?"  
  
"No, sweetheart," Rae said, pulling the girl into her arms, "Daddy won't be back for a long time."  
  
"Will he EVER come back?"  
  
"He promised he would, Annie, and Daddy always keeps his promises."  
  
"Will we go visit him?"  
  
"Probably not, sweetheart. Cause then those mean men might follow us and try to hurt Daddy again."  
  
"Well... I think those mean men need to go in time out!" Anne exclaimed loudly. Andy whimpered and snuggled deeper under the blankets.  
  
Rae smiled slightly and kissed Ann's forehead. "Daddy will be home before you know it...and know what?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I bet he's thinking about us right now."  
  
"I hope so." She rubbed her nose.  
  
"I'm hungry..." Rae slipped from the bed and helped Ann down and the two of them walked downstairs to prepare breakfast.  
  
* * *  
  
Spot left the train with a single bag in his hand and, with a sigh, headed towards the Brooklyn Lodging House. Who knew how long he'd have to be there- away from the kids... away from Rae. To say he was worried about her was an understatement. He was downright frantic, wondering if she'd be overworked and such with all those children and no one to help her... being pregnant, and all... He sighed again. He hoped that everyone would be gone from the house by the time that he got there so that he could get some sleep, as he had been up all night worrying. But then again, he probably wouldn't be able to sleep, for his mind would only return to Rae and the children again.  
  
He reached the lodging house just as Shadow and Hades were leaving. "Spot Conlon, what in the world are you doing here? And where is Rae?" Hades demanded.  
  
"It's a very long, very stupid story. If you would let me, I'd like to stay for awhile," he replied wearily.  
  
"You didn't hurt her did you?"  
  
"No, no! Jeez Hades!"  
  
"Well... How long are you planning to stay?"  
  
"A simple yes or no would have sufficed."  
  
"How long?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Can you pay for it?"  
  
"Hades." He gave her a very exasperated look.  
  
She just shrugged. "You know, we can't let you stay for free. None of US do. You of all people know that." Whacking his shoulder, she smiled.  
  
He held out the change. "Happy?"  
  
"Yes," Hades said, taking the money. "You didn't answer my question. What are you doing here and where is Rae?"  
  
Spot sighed wearily. "Look, all I want right now is some sleep, so if you will excuse me..."  
  
She thumped her hands on her hips. "Fine. But I demand you tell me later." His only answer was to walk past her through the door and up the stairs. "Something's not right, Shadow," Hades said to her companion.  
  
"What was your first clue?" She whacked Shadow upside the head.  
  
Upstairs Spot stopped in the doorway of the room that he and Rae had shared only a few short weeks ago. He didn't want to be in the bunkroom with everyone else, but he wasn't sure that he wanted to stay in this room either. With a heavy sigh, he glanced around. Dropping his bag on the floor, he left the room and went into the parlor. It was empty, as he expected. And, knowing his old newsies, no one would be back until well after lunch... possibly after supper. He stretched out across the couch. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but it was too quiet and he was too worried to do so. A thousand what-ifs ran through his head. What if those men returned and hurt the others? What if something happened to Rae and the baby? What if he couldn't make it back? What if, what if, what if....  
  
* * *  
  
Molly pulled Chris and Julie aside after breakfast. "I'm worried about Rae. She looks dead on her feet."  
  
"YOU try making her take a nap," Chris replied. "She keeps saying we need looking after- but we did a fine job of looking after things when she and Spot were sick on that island..."  
  
Molly sighed thoughtfully. "It's just a matter of being more stubborn than her."  
  
"Well.... she's as stubborn as an ox."  
  
Molly sent him a smug look and marched back into the kitchen where Rae was stubbornly washing the dishes. Promptly, she took the dishes from her and pushed her out of the kitchen. "Go. To. Bed."  
  
"But, Molly...I'm not tired and there is work to be done....this house doesn't just run itself..." Rae stumbled wearily and would have fallen, had Chris not been there to catch her.  
  
"We're perfectly capable of keeping the machine running, Rae," Chris said. "You have three sets of hands who are mature enough to handle the work- and two little ones that love to help when they can. Five people, Rae. Five. More than enough to take care of things. Now go to bed. Spot would kill us if he knew you were running yourself ragged."  
  
She sighed. "I'm supposed to be the one taking care of all of you, not the other way around."  
  
"You're going to have a baby. Don't you think you should take care of yourself first? That baby needs a different kind of taking care of right now," Molly pointed out.  
  
She nodded wearily.  
  
"Up to bed with you." Chris said.  
  
"Alright, but if you need ANYTHING, come and get me."  
  
"We won't," he said with a smile. "Go. Sleep."  
  
"I'm going! I'm going!" she said, stumbling from the room.  
  
"See, it wasn't so hard," Molly pointed out, looking a bit smug.  
  
"Well, when we're all backing it, of course it isn't."  
  
She stuck her tongue out at him. "Come on, Julie, let's get this kitchen clean while Chris does the laundry."  
  
Julie grinned. "Just be warned- he's awful with laundry," she said as they walked away.  
  
"Hey! That's not fair!" He yelled after them. The girls giggled and began to finish up the kitchen. "Come on, girls! Give a guy a break!"  
  
"But it's so much fun," Julie called back as Molly burst into giggles. "Anyway, you can get Ann to help you. She's very helpful in that sort of thing."  
  
"I'll get you back for this Julie."  
  
"I know... but it's fun while it lasts."  
  
He ruffled her hair and reached to do the same with Molly, but she pointed the knife in her hands at him. "Don't you dare!"  
  
Holding up his hands, he said, "All right, I surrender... Jeez, you're dangerous, girl." Chris shook his head and left the kitchen, "Annie, want to help me wash clothes?"  
  
Ann bounced to her feet, cheered that Chris was asking her to help and nodded vigorously. "Okay!"  
  
Upstairs Rae crawled into her bed and buried her head in Spot's pillow, to muffle her sobs. Why did things have to turn out so horrible all of a sudden? Spot shouldn't have had to leave- he should have been there, with her. Those townspeople just had to accuse him, didn't they... And he had done nothing wrong! Spot Conlon... or at least, the one she had married, would NEVER hurt anyone like that. He should be here with her. She needed him. Although she wouldn't admit it to the children, she was exhausted. Grudgingly, she admitted to herself that she was grateful that they had insisted she lie down, but now her worries plagued her tired mind. She had been very sick so far, what if it only got worse? She didn't think she could bear it if something happened to the baby... She placed her hand on her stomach, which was just beginning to show signs of her pregnancy. 'Nothing better happen to you,' she thought.  
  
* * *  
  
iRae stood on the docks of Brooklyn breathing in the night air. Manhattan was in Brooklyn for a poker game, leaving the lodging house full of smoke and noise. Stupid arrogant Spot Conlon had made a big show of making a clean sweep of the game and he was driving her insane, as usual. She sighed and took another deep breath. She loved to be out here where it was quiet. Or rather, she loved to be anywhere Spot Conlon and his stupid ego were not!  
  
She suddenly became aware of a set of footsteps behind her. Before she could turn around, a pair of firm hands pushed her from behind and, wheeling her arms around wildly, she toppled into the river with a shriek. "I'm going to KILL whoever did that!" she threatened, pushing wet hair from her face after she had surfaced.  
  
And the famous Spot Colon smirking face peered over the edge of the dock. "Oh, are you now?"  
  
"You better believe it, mister!"  
  
Spot sat on the edge of the dock. "And how are YOU, Rae Kelly, going to kill ME?" She threw something in his direction and at first he couldn't see anything. Then the moonlight reflected off of something and a moment later he heard a dull thud. Rae's knife was stuck in the edge of the dock near his hand. "Watch where you throw that thing Kelly!"  
  
"Watch who you shove, Conlon!"  
  
"You are really getting on my nerves Kelly! No one talks to Spot Conlon that way!"  
  
"So you'd like to think!" she retorted.  
  
"Watch your step, girl!"  
  
"Ooh, big bad dangerous Conlon..." She clambered out of the water.  
  
He plucked her knife from the wood. "Want this back?"  
  
She held out her hand expectantly. "Yeah... Now."  
  
"I don't think so. It's a rather nice knife. Think I'll hang on to it for a while."  
  
"Give it here. Now," Rae demanded.  
  
"Make me, Kelly!"  
  
With a yell, she dove for his ankles, knocking him over. "Give it back, or I'll make you sorry!"  
  
With practiced ease he dropped the knife and flipped her onto her back, pinning her hands to the dock. "Oh really? Want to rethink that?"  
  
"No... because now you've made yourself the perfect target. We girls know exactly where to hit." She smirked deviously.  
  
He scrambled to his feet. "I bet if I kissed you I'd have you falling at my feet with all the other girls."  
  
She laughed haughtily, climbing to her feet. "You won't ever get the chance to kiss me, Conlon!"/i  
  
* * *  
  
Spot felt as though he had just nodded off when loud voices startled him awake again. For a moment he thought he was back home and he was just about to get a bit snappy at whoever woke him up, but when he sat up, he met a face that wasn't anyone back at the house. "Oh... hello, Hades."  
  
"Look, you know you are always welcome to stay here, but I want some answers."  
  
Spot groaned and sat up as she rounded the couch to sit down. "What do you want to know?"  
  
"Where is Rae? And all those kids?"  
  
"Back home..."  
  
"Why are you here without them? Did you and Rae get into a fight or something?"  
  
"No, we didn't get into a fight.... It's a very... strange story..."  
  
"I'm not going to leave you alone until you tell me!"  
  
"I know you won't...." Spot sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "See... it's like this... The townspeople think... I'm some sort of monster- "  
  
"Why?"  
  
He pointed to his face. "And so... I reckon someone was murdered... and they pinned the blame on me... on the Beast.... A mob of men came to our house with the intent of lynching me..."  
  
Hades eyes went wide. "Lynch Spot Conlon! How DARE they!... How did you escape?"  
  
"An old friend of Blank's warned me just in time."  
  
"Wow.... Boy... you guys sure live a very... adventurous life..." Hades remarked, taking this all in. "Why didn't you stay to protect your family? Or at least bring them with you?"  
  
"They wouldn't let me!"  
  
"She always was more stubborn than you."  
  
"I know... Which can drive a man crazy, sometimes." He sighed, leaning his head back. "I'm ... so worried."  
  
"Why? If Rae can handle being married to you, she can handle all those kids."  
  
Spot lifted a brow. "That was helpful."  
  
"Alright, so you're worried about your wife. It's natural! But instead of sitting around here worrying yourself to death, get out and do something to take your mind off of it."  
  
He gave her a look. "Such as?"  
  
"Get a job!"  
  
"What can I do? I'm not exactly highly educated, if you remember." He touched his face gingerly. "And... I'm not looking forward to working in another factory... I guess there's always papes, hmm?"  
  
"We both know that you are really too old to be selling papes. We both are really. As soon as I find a real job, I'm leaving the newsies."  
  
He nodded. "But that is the problem- FINDING a real job..." Smiling at Hades, he added, "I don't think I could picture you as anything BUT a newsie... the job just fits your personality too well."  
  
"Go jump off the Bridge," she muttered.  
  
He smirked. "Ladies first."  
  
She sighed, "We're growing old, Spot. I mean, look at you, you'll be a father by Christmas. Times are changing. We have to change with them."  
  
"I know...." he replied.  
  
She lightly hit his shoulder. "Come on, it's time for dinner."  
  
His stomach growled to that, and he laughed. "I think that's a good idea."  
  
"Everyone can't wait to see you. Word spread quick that you were back."  
  
"News always did," he said, shaking his head with a small smile. "And back so soon, I'm sure they are shocked... or were, anyway."  
  
"Well, with the way that you've been disappearing out of here and then reappearing, they weren't too shocked."  
  
"I reckon I'll need to be a little more dramatic about it then."  
  
As if your first disappearance wasn't dramatic enough."  
  
"Mm, maybe.... but I have to keep my followers on the edge of their seats," he replied with a grin.  
  
"You are so full of yourself."  
  
"I know. And you know you love it."  
  
She smirked, rolling her eyes. "You know, I was hoping that Rae would be able to do something about that terrible ego of yours."  
  
"What can I say? I'm hard to break."  
  
"Remind me to talk to her about that the next time I see her."  
  
"I won't, I promise," he teased.  
  
She opened her mouth to retort, but was cut off my Jecca running and throwing herself at Spot. "What are you doing back? Where is Rae? and Julie?"  
  
He smiled at her. "I just had to leave for a little while. They're all back at our house."  
  
She took his hand and dragged him toward a table. "How long can you stay this time?"  
  
"Probably a few months... 'Til stuff dies down back home."  
  
She turned to look at him. "Are you gonna sell papes with me or are you going to find a job in the factories?"  
  
He flinched. "I don't know if I'll sell papes... maybe for a short while... But I'm going to see if there's anything out there besides factory work.... if I can..." Jecca nodded and sat down. Spot sat next to her. "Care to sell with me this evening, Miss Jecca?"  
  
Her only reply was to grin up at him and nod.  
  
He chuckled, ruffling her hair. "Alright. We'll see if you can outsell me this time."  
  
"I bet I can!" she retorted, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. A sparkle that reminded him so much of Rae.  
  
He smiled, albeit a bit sadly, and ruffled her hair again. "We'll see about that." 


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

"Momma!" Ann wailed, running into the kitchen with tears streaking down her face. "Andy won't play with me!"

Rae sat in a chair and used her apron to wipe away Ann's tears. "I'm sorry, sweetheart.  Why won't he play with you?"

"'Cause he says boys don't play girl games!" She sniffled. "And I can play not girl games..."

"Why don't we go have a talk with Mr. Andy?" With a sniffle, she nodded. "Andy!" Rae called as she headed toward the playroom with Ann in tow.

He seemed to know that he was in trouble and came out slowly. "... Yes ma'am?"

"Why won't you play with Annie?"

"Because..."

"Because why?"

He squirmed. "She... she's a GIRL... and girls play girly games... And I don't like playing girly games...."

Rae sighed. "What about those blocks Chris made for the two of you? Can't you play with them together?"

Andy squirmed a bit. "I guess so...."

Ann whimpered again.

"I... I mean, yeah, yeah... we can Ann."

Rae gave them both a gentle shove towards the playroom.  "Be nice to each other," she advised.

"Yes ma'am," they replied simultaneously.

With a weary sigh Rae walked into the living room and lowered herself onto the couch.  Settling the disputes of the twins was wearing her out. Ever since Spot had left a week ago, they had bickered constantly. It reminded her of all the times that she and Spot fought. She smiled softly. They argued over the silliest things... but, she eventually found out that a gentleman was buried somewhere in Spot Conlon.

_iRae slipped out of the noisy lodging house and toward the docks.  If Spot's ego wasn't bad enough, normally, it was worse tonight.  Manhattan had come over tonight to celebrate the almighty Spot's birthday. "Of all the inconsiderate, arrogant, obnoxious little.... OOOOOHHH!" she screeched in frustration._

_"Jack try to kiss you again?" Spot asked, coming up behind her._

_Spinning on her heel, Rae glowered at him. "Oh go away, will you?"_

_He reached over and messed her hair. "I can be out here if I want, Kelly."_

_She slapped his hand away. "Your party is going on inside. They'll miss you, you know," she snapped. _

_He shrugged, "It was getting too loud in there."_

_"Too loud? For the almighty Spot Conlon? Impossible!"_

_"If you don't shut your mouth, I'll go throw you off the dock again."_

_"I'll sock you good if you do!" she threatened._

_"I'd like to see you try, girl!"_

_She lunged towards him but he grabbed her wrist before she could strike. She swung with the other fist, but he managed to duck out of the way and catch it too. _

_"Fighting isn't very lady like," he said._

_She struggled to free herself from his strong grip. "Let go of me and go back to your stupid birthday party."_

_"Ohh, so my birthday is stupid, is it? How would you know? You weren't in there long enough to tell." With a force that surprised him, she jerked her hands out of his grip and stalked away. "Get back here, Kelly!" he yelled after her._

_"Just leave me alone, alright?"_

_"What's this? You go from threatening me to running away? Not an effective way to win your battles!" He followed her._

_She turned sharply, almost knocking him over. "Who said I wanted to win any battles?"_

_He lifted a brow. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that you fight just for the heck of it?"_

_"I fight when I have to. I don't go out picking fights, unlike SOME PEOPLE I KNOW!"_

_"Well at least I don't walk away! I fight 'til the end, just like I would think YOU'D know enough to do!"_

_"YOU started this fight! I finished it! Now leave me alone!"_

_"I don't think so. Finish it proper," he snapped, grabbing her arm._

_She struggled for a moment and then turned her face up to him, tears glistening in her eyes. "Please just leave me alone," she whispered._

_He gave her a bewildered look, his anger dissipating suddenly. "What's going on? Why are you... you know... um, crying?"_

_"I'm not crying!" she protested, attempting to pull her arm free one more time._

_"Then what's that in your eyes? Spray from the river?" he asked skeptically._

_She sat down on the edge of the dock. "Go back inside and enjoy your birthday party."_

_"Well, I'm not going to enjoy it if I know you're out here getting river spray in your eyes. Why don't you just come inside and make nice with someone for a change?"_

_"I don't want to go to your stupid birthday party alright?" she wailed, burying her face in her hands._

_Now he was very startled. "Rae?"_

_"Just leave me alone, already."_

_"No. I have every right to be concerned. This isn't like you. What's wrong?"_

_"You are going to laugh at me."_

_"I might, but I doubt I will."_

_"You wouldn't understand either."_

_"I'll be the judge of that. I am Spot Conlon, you are not. Don't tell me what I won't understand."_

_"Look, I don't feel like talking about it."_

_He folded his arms over his chest. "Well, I'm not going away until you do."_

_She sniffled and turned away from him._

_"Come on now. I can be just as stubborn as you."_

_"I don't know when my birthday is! So just go back inside and enjoy your little party and leave me alone with my misery."_

_Spot placed a hand on her shoulder. "And you thought I'd laugh? Come now, Kelly, I'm not quite THAT heartless."_

_"You put on a good act."_

_"What's that supposed to mean?!"_

_"You act tough and HEARTLESS all the time, Conlon. It's who you are."_

_"Nothing is an ACT.... I just be what I be when I need to be it. I'm capable of a lot more than you give me credit."_

_"Like what?" she taunted._

_"Like a lot," was all he'd say._

_She sniffled and swiped roughly at her eyes.  "Go back and enjoy your party, Spot."_

_"No... I don't want to."_

_She stared up at him. "Why not?"_

_"Well, it wasn't that much fun anyway... Race was getting all the attention, having that stupid broken arm... Besides... Is there anything WRONG with being out here with you? I figure... you and I, if we were friends, we'd make a pretty good team."_

_She sent him an unsure look. "I suppose we would."_

_"Well don't look at me like I'm offering you two choices of death," he huffed, looking a bit offended._

_She snickered.  "I guess being your friend would be better than being your enemy."_

_"That, my dear, is a wise choice." He grinned. /i_

Rae pulled a blanket off the back of the couch and wrapped it around her shoulders.  She smiled slightly.  "Yes, my dear, it was a wise choice."

* * *

"How many papes didja sell, Spot?" Jecca asked, trotting over to him.

"About..." He glanced at the pile under his arm. "Half."

She crowed in delight. "I'm beating you!"

He laughed. "I guess you are, squirt."

"I'm hungry Spot. Can we stop and eat?"

"Sure. Where to?"

"Tibby's!"

"All right then, to Tibby's we go!"

"Who's paying?" she grinned impishly.

He lifted a brow and smirked. "Let me guess: me?"

"I can pay for myself!"

"Well, I'll be generous and pay. After all, word has to start going around again about just how great Spot Conlon is," he told her with a grin. "I've been away too long and I haven't heard much about me since I came back."

She stuck her tongue out at him.  "I don't think you're so great."

"Oh, well then," he said with a tone of playful offense, "that's just going to have to change, isn't it?" With a roar he picked her up and flung her over his shoulder, carrying her into Tibby's.

She squealed in delight and playful pounded on his back with her fists.

He set her down at the booth and plopped across from her, calling greetings to old newsies who knew him well.

Jack walked over and sat beside them.  "I heard you were back in town.  How's Rae?"

"Good, good. How's it rolling, Kelly?"

"Not bad."

"Didn't see you around the last time we were in town, what have you been up to, Jackie boy?"

"I've been looking for a job, Conlon.  Like most of the others."

Spot nodded slowly. "Right... right. That's good."

"But we're all faced with the same problem. No one wants to hire street kids."

"Makes you wish you could strike against the folks who don't hire us," he said, drumming the table top with his fingertips.

"It wouldn't be smart," David said, pulling up a chair.

"It also isn't possible, Walkin' Mouth," Spot said. "How's it rollin'?"

"Not bad, Conlon."

"I'd reckon Dave here has the best chance out of the lot of us to get a job... still going to school?" he asked David.

"When I can, but my father got hurt again."

* * *

It was a miserably dark and rainy day in the old Kringle house and the children were just as cranky, adding up against Rae's fledgling patience that day. Every time she sat down she had either Ann or Andy clinging to her, but she couldn't stand for long.  Molly finally forced Rae back into bed, with the twins tucked in on either side of her.

"Is Daddy coming back home today?" Andy asked on her left.

"I don't think so, sweetheart.  With as much rain as we've gotten this week, I don't think he would be able to make it."

He frowned. "I don't think those men are going to come back... they haven't come back yet... Can we send Daddy a letter tomorrow?"

"But I don't know where he went."

"I... well he should have told us!"

"He said that he might go to Brooklyn," Ann offered.

Rae paused. Yes, it was very plausible that Spot went there. "We'll wait a couple more days... If nothing happens, I'll write Brooklyn and see if Daddy went there, alright?"

Ann nodded and rested her head on Rae's shoulder. "I miss Daddy," she sighed.

"I do too," she whispered, kissing the top of Ann's head. "I do too."

"Those men aren't after Daddy anymore, can't we go find him?"

"We can't sweetheart.  Momma is still sick."

"Chris could take us to find him for you!"

"I would worry too much about all of you to do that."

Chris poked his head into the room. "Look out the window... I think we have some men prowling our yard... If I were to bet, I'd guess they're looking for Spot still..."

With a groan Rae struggled to get up, having to push the twins out of the way.  She walked to the window and glanced out.  "Here we go again.  Ann, Andy, STAY HERE!" she ordered, following Chris from the room.

"You should stay inside... It's still drizzly... I can chase them out of the yard.. I just thought you should know what was going on," Chris told her.

She sent him a look. "I don't want you out in the rain either.  Hand me that coat and we will both stay on the porch." With a slight sigh, he did as told. Rae wrapped the coat around her shoulders and stepped out onto the porch. "Can I help you?" she called out.

The nearest man folded his arms over his chest. "We're looking for the Beast!" He walked over to them. "Where is he hiding?"

"I don't know who you are talking about," Rae said. "There is no beast that lives here."

"We know very well there is one, ma'am. He killed a child in our town! Other children have disappeared since his arrival!"

"My children disappeared too.  Only they were kidnapped by your Mr. Anderson who runs the orphanage...have you tried looking there?"

The man looked a little disgruntled. "Look ma'am, it ain't my aim to start trouble... but we want this criminal stopped before anyone else gets hurt!"

"She told you! There isn't any beast here..." Chris said, taking a step forward, but stopped when Rae placed her hand on his shoulder.

"We don't want any trouble either, so please leave. If any 'beast' comes here, you'll be the first to know," Rae replied sharply.

"We will be back, lady!"

"I'll be waiting!" She turned to Chris. "We need to get me a pitchfork or... or something!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

            Andy opened the door to the study and stuck his head inside, only to find it empty.  He walked into the room, munching on a cookie that he had just sneaked from the cookie jar.

Curious, he poked around the desk. That was where Daddy found all sorts of neat things, he'd heard. Maybe he'd find something neat as well.

He pulled out one drawer and then another. Nothing but old papers and some dusty books. How very boring to a young child who couldn't read very well just yet. How could Daddy think ANY of this was interesting? He pulled open another drawer. Empty!  This must be the drawer where Momma and Daddy found the money.

Andy sighed, wondering if there were any neat little toys or gadgets to play with. He left the desk and walked across the room, poking through the shelves a bit. Something on the top shelf caught his eye and perked his curiosity.  Shoving the rest of the stolen cookie in his mouth, he slowly began to climb up the bookcase. He was about halfway up when the door swung open and Julie, with her nose buried in a book, walked in. Andy lurched with a start and let go of the shelf, falling off it with a cry of surprise.

Julie shrieked with surprise when she heard him cry out and dropped her book.  She rushed to his side as Chris burst through the door. "What was that noise?" he demanded.

"Andy fell off the bookshelf- what were you doing up there, Andy?" she demanded, pulling him around.

He stared at her, white-faced and suddenly yelped and burst into tears when she tugged on his right arm.

She let go of his arm and he held it close to his body, whimpering.  Chris knelt in front of him. "Let me see it, buddy," he said, reaching for Andy's arm, but Andy whimpered and tried to move away.

"Come on now, let me take a look."

"But it hurts," he whimpered.

 "Either let me look, or I'll go get Rae and she can look."

Andy screwed up his face and let Chris take a look.

"I think she should look at it anyway...I think it's broken.  Julie, go get Rae, please."

Julie nodded and ran from the room, calling, "RAE!"

"What's wrong, Julie?" Rae asked as she came down the stairs.

"Andy hurt his arm. Chris reckons it's broken."

Rae sighed and placed her hand on her forehead.  As if they needed a broken arm right now.  With another sigh, Rae followed Julie back into the study. Entering the room, Rae hurried over to Chris and Andy. "Tell me what happened, Andy."

"I don't want to," he said, biting his lip.

She gave him a look. "Andy..." she said with a warning tone in her voice. "Tell me."

"I fell from the bookshelf."

She gave him a look. "And how in the world did THAT happen young man?"

"I was climbing on it."

"Why were you climbing it?"

"Cause I wanted to look at that thing on the top shelf," he said, starting to point to the object, but cried out in pain and cradled his arm.

"All right now, come on, get up. Let's get you in bed. Chris, Julie, go run for a doctor."

After Chris carried Andy upstairs he and Julie ran to town for the doctor, while Rae tucked Andy in the bed. "I want you to lay still until the doctor comes, okay?"

"It hurts, Momma," he said, huge tears rolling down his cheeks.

Rae leaned in and kissed his forehead. "I know sweetheart. The doctor will make it better."

"Am I in trouble?"

"Just a little, for climbing the bookshelf, but we'll deal with that later."

"I love you, Momma."

She leaned over and kissed his forehead again. "I love you too, Andy."

The door cracked open and Ann stuck her head in. "What's wrong with Andy?"

"He hurt his arm," Rae explained.

"Is it real bad?"

"Well, the doctor is going to tell us just how bad."

"Can I come in too?" She asked.

Rae patted the edge of the bed, knowing the little girl would be hurt if she couldn't. "Just be careful climbing up. We don't want Andy's arm to get hurt any more than it is."

Ann carefully crawled up on the bed and sat on her knees beside her brother.  "Can I see, Andy?"

He screwed up his face and shifted his arm towards her. "Don't touch it... it hurts real bad..."

She made a face that rivaled his. "It's purple!" Andy looked down at it and whimpered.

Rae quickly pulled Ann back onto her lap. "Hush, Annie."

"When's the doctor gonna get here?" she asked. "Is he gonna make it all better and everything?"

"Yes, the doctor will make it all better, but it might take awhile. Remember when Chris hurt his foot?"

She nodded. A few minutes later, Chris returned with an old doctor in tow. 

"Rae, this is Doc.  Doc this is Rae Conlon and the little guy on the bed is Andy."

"Pleasure," the doctor said, taking Rae's hand and giving it a squeeze. Then he approached the side of the bed and gave Andy a quick once over. "So young man, tell me what happened."

Andy hung his head. "I was climbing on the bookcase and Julie scared me and I fell."

"Adventurous youngster, aren't you? Well, sit up, sit up, and let me take a look at that arm."

Rae helped Andy ease into a sitting position and Andy cautiously held his arm out to the doctor.

He gently lifted Andy's arm in his hand and prodded it a bit. When Andy yelped, he nodded. "Yes, it does look like you've broken it. I'll have to bandage it up for you. It may hurt a bit." 

Andy whimpered and bit his lip, before looking at Rae.

"You'll be all right, sweetheart," she said encouragingly as the doctor removed several rolls of flimsy white fabric from his bag.

"It was a clean break and the bone set itself, which is a good thing for this young man," he said as he began to wrap Andy's arm.  "I'm going to make you a sling and I want you to keep your arm in it all the time, and don't try to pick up anything, little man."

"Yessir," Andy replied, wincing. He whimpered again.

Rae sat back down and held his other hand.  "It's alright, Andy," she whispered, brushing the hair from his forehead and gently kissing it.

After another minute or two, his arm was wrapped and tucked firmly into his new sling.

"Now," the doctor began, "I'll be by to check on you in a month. No more climbing bookcases, got it?" he tapped Andy's nose with a smile, wrote out the bill, and handed it to Rae. "Pleasure meeting you," he replied, tipping his hat. Chris led him out.

"I told you he would make it all better," Rae said, messing the boy's hair.

"It still hurt when he was doing it," Andy replied with a sniffle.

"I know, sweetheart, but he had to do that to make it feel better."

He nodded and sniffled again. "Can I go play now?"

She smiled and helped him crawl out of the bed. "Just be careful."

With a watery grin, he nodded. "Yes ma'am." Turning, he scampered off, with Ann chasing after him yelling, "Wait for me!"

Smiling and shaking her head, Rae followed them.

* * *

Lights out in the bunkroom across the hall had been called hours ago, yet Spot was still wide-awake.

If he had been at home, he would be in his bed, with his arms around Rae, making sure that she always safe and warm, and knew she was loved.  The sound of small feet might possibly be heard as Ann tried to sneak into their room once again. But he wasn't home. Instead he heard the sounds of newsies snoring from across the hall and slept next to a big space of air. Rolling onto his side, he gave a depressed sort of sigh.

He wanted nothing more than to be with his family, but was he willing to risk their safety? If it weren't this murder he had been accused for, it would be something else- he could just see it. Those townspeople were afraid of him and could always use a scapegoat. He would go back right now, if it weren't for...for his face.

He knew Rae ranted on about how his scars meaning nothing, that there was so much more past them, but no one else would see that. They would see a scary, horribly disfigured face and think 'monster'. He rolled over again and sighed.  If only everyone else could see past the scars. Then he wouldn't be in Brooklyn worrying about the safety of his family halfway across the state.

He was facing a dilemma. Should he return and possibly endanger the lives of his family? Should he stay and write Rae, asking her to uproot and bring everyone back to Brooklyn? Doing that would only put more stress on Rae and that was the last thing he wanted to do right now. So what to do? He didn't really want to stay in Brooklyn for the rest of his life, but he was out of options. The best thing to do would be to stay where he was. Then maybe in a few years he could go back to his family. He cringed. He didn't like it at all. "But it's for the best," he murmured.

* * *

Rae lay on the couch in the study, shivering.  She knew that she should be sleeping in the bed upstairs, but she couldn't.  Even though it had been a month since Spot had left, she could still smell his scent when she cried into his pillow at night.  Every time she opened the wardrobe, she saw the clothes that he had left behind. Those townspeople were crazy. They couldn't look past a bunch of scars to see that he really was a kind and wonderful young man. Tears filled her eyes. Sure, most people didn't see that side of Spot Conlon, but if you got close enough you could.  

_"Would you like to buy a pape, sir? Only a penny..." Rae let her hand fall to her side as the man she had asked just walked on by, hardly paying attention. She growled in frustration. That was the fifth one of the day to do that!_

_Nearly an hour ago she had given up on trying to "improve" the headlines, because no one seemed interested. But now it seemed that even begging people to buy her papers wasn't going to work either.  Maybe she could use a couple of them to keep her warm tonight in whatever alley she found to sleep in. She groaned. She did not like the idea very much. It wasn't HER fault no one bought a paper! With a sigh she sank against the wall of the bank that she had been selling in front of, dropping the papers at her feet.  She leaned her head back against the wall and pulled her faded black cap low over her eyes._

_"Waiting for the papes to sell themselves, Kelly?" a voice asked beside her a moment later._

_"Go away, Conlon!" she muttered, wrapping her arms around herself to ward off the chill._

_"Mm, not until you tell me why you're sitting here on the freezing cold ground."_

_"Why do you think?" she retorted, nudging the stack of papers with her foot._

_"Ah, I see. Rough day... That's the bad thing about being a newsie... Well... here... tell you what... tonight, dinner and lodging are on me."_

_"Stop messing with me and go eat your dinner and go sleep in your warm bed."_

_"I'm not messing with you, Kelly." Grabbing her arm, Spot hauled her to her feet. "Come along."_

_"Then why are you doing this?  If you think I'm going to kiss you or something even worse you can just drop dead."_

_Spot rolled his eyes. "Oh, get over yourself, Rae. I'm doing this for you, not for me."_

_"Oh no! Spot Conlon never does anything for anyone else.  The only person he worries about is himself."_

_"You know, if that was funny, I'd be laughing right now," he muttered._

_Rae threw her hands up and turned to walk away. "See you in the morning."_

_"What's your problem, Kelly? I'm doing you a favor here!" he yelled, heading after her._

_"Why?"_

_"Because I want to- is there crime in that?"_

_She sighed. "I guess not."_

_"Besides, I thought we decided to be friends..."_

_"I guess we did..."_

_"And friends help each other, right?"_

_"I guess."_

_"Then let me pay for your dinner and your bunk tonight."_

_After giving it some thought, she finally nodded. "Okay... all right... But don't expect any .... you know, FAVORS from me."_

_He smirked. "Yes ma'am."_

_"Shut it!" she muttered, leading the way to a small diner._

* * *

Rae sighed as the memory faded off for the time being. That was a time when she had been able to see a rare side to Spot- well, before she married him of course. Even once they agreed to be friends, she had rarely seen that side of him.  Even when she did it was only when the two of them were alone. She realized now that even before the scarring, he was very defensive over his image... he let very few see anything other than the rough rouge almighty Spot Conon. That was one thing she never understood, even after they got married.  Why in the world was he like that? When he returned, she would have to make a point to talk to him about it, she decided.

It used to amuse her when he got overly defensive of his image, but now... She didn't know whether to be worried, or mad. She sighed. All she really wanted was for him to be there with her, image and all. She hugged the pillow on the couch tightly to her chest. How much longer would it be?

* * *

Rae straightened and attempted to stretch her back.  She glanced down at the tub of laundry that she had been attempting to wash. It was getting harder now that her belly kept getting in the way. The baby kicked her rather sharply when she leaned to grab a shirt. "Okay, okay. I get it, you don't like that." She straightened and sort of leaned backwards to grab it.

Chris walked into the room with Kendra in his arms.  "Rae, you shouldn't be doing that."

"Well, it's not going to get done on it's own. Besides, all of you are doing enough as it is.... and I need to keep busy somehow."

He took her arm and led her toward the living room. "Rock Kendra then."

With a sigh, she sat in a chair and took Kendra. "I just get so restless..." She didn't have to say she was still worried about Spot- Chris knew very well.

"I know, but Molly and Julie and Andy will be back from town shortly and then you can spend the rest of the day asking Andy about his visit with Doc."

She gave him a smile. "I suppose." Rae winced slightly as the baby kicked where Kendra was leaning against her.

"You all right?"

"Yes... This baby is just a bit... restless."

Chris rolled his eyes playfully, "Just what we need! Another Rae!"

She swatted at him with a grin.

He turned serious. "Please, just stay here and rest..."

She sighed. "I'll try- hard, I promise."

Chris bent down and looked Kendra in the eye. "You keep Momma here, alright, sweetheart?"  

Kendra smiled and exclaimed, "Mama!" grabbing a hold of Rae's shirt and pulling herself up to her feet unsteadily. "Mama!"

Rae smiled and caught the little girl's hands.  "That's right, sweetheart," Rae said, kissing her forehead.

Kendra giggled and touched her face, cooing typical baby sounds as if she was holding a conversation with her "Mama".

Rae glanced up at Chris. "We'll be fine, Chris. You don't have to stand there and watch me."

"I just want to make sure you stay resting is all..."

"If I need anything I'll call you."

"You'd better," Chris warned before walking off.

Rae looked back down at Kendra. "He's almost as bad as your Daddy."

"Dada!" Kendra exclaimed, bouncing on Rae's lap.

Rae kissed her forehead. "I wish he were here."

Kendra gave Rae a wet kiss on the cheek and exclaimed again, "Dada!"

"Hopefully he'll come home soon, sweetheart."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

Rae managed to keep herself busy, despite the protests Chris, Molly and Julie put up. It was the only way she could keep her mind off of her growing list of worries- mostly about Spot. Right now, she was attempting to cook dinner; chopping out her frustrations on innocent vegetables.

"What did the carrots ever do to you?" Julie asked with a smile, entering the kitchen with a handful of hand towels.

"Nothing, I guess."

She set the towels aside and took the knife from Rae. "Why don't you do something a little less violent, like cut the dough into biscuits?" she suggested, pointing to the rolled out dough that just sat there.

Rae sighed. "I tried that.   That's what got me angry in the first place."

She laughed. "Then sit and breathe slowly."

Rae made a face. "I have too much energy to sit. Besides I can't get comfortable."

"Then go for a very nice, leisurely walk around the house?"

"I'm trying to hide from Chris and Molly, Julie."

"Trust me, you won't be able to hide from them forever... Chris can be very clever when he WANTS to be." She grinned.

Rae laughed, but it was cut off by a gasp and a moan, as Rae placed her hand on her stomach.

Immediately, Julie looked concerned. "What? What is it?"

Rae shook her head, "Nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Maybe you should go lie down..."

"I'm fin..." she trailed off as she leaned against the counter, her face twisted in pain.

"Somehow, I think differently. Chris!" Julie grabbed Rae's arm and led her from the kitchen. "Chris!"

"What?" he asked, running down the stairs.

"It's Rae... something's going on. Help me get her up the stairs. Molly!" Julie called.

After a moment Molly rushed in from where she had been hanging clothes on the line outside.  She slipped Rae's arm around her neck, "I'll help her, Chris, go get Doc."

Chris nodded. "Right. Be back soon." And he darted out of the house.

* * *

Doc slipped from the room and quietly closed the door.  He turned around and was startled to find Chris, Molly, Julie, and the twins standing in the hallway waiting on him.

"What's the matter?"

"Is she gonna be alright?"

"I want Momma!"

"What's goin' on?"

Doc held up his hand, silencing them. "She's sleeping.  She's going to be fine as long as she stays in that bed."

"What happened?" Chris asked, a bit impatiently. "What was wrong?"

"She overworked herself and sent herself into premature labor."

Chris and Julie looked at one another. "Um... what's that mean?" Julie finally asked.

"It means that she almost had her baby a month before that baby was ready to be born."

"Oh...." The three older children frowned at the thought.

Andy and Ann on the other hand, tugged on the doctor's coat. "You promise Momma's gonna be okay?" Andy asked anxiously.

"She's going to be fine as long as you and Miss Ann make her get lots of sleep."

Glancing at one another, they nodded and looked at the doctor again. "Yessir."

Doc reached into his coat pocket and pulled out two small pieces of candy. "Take these down to the kitchen and eat them."

They looked at the candies like most people might look at a bag full of money and took them cautiously. "Thank you!" they exclaimed simultaneously, running off down the hall.

"Is it really bad Doc?" Molly asked.

"It will be if she doesn't stay off her feet until the baby is born."

Chris, Julie and Molly exchanged glances. That would be difficult, if she kept being as stubborn as she had been.

Doc sighed. "It would also help her a lot to have her husband here."

Chris nodded. "We'll try to get him back here as soon as we can..."

Doc nodded.  "Come get me if you need me."

"Yes sir, we will."

After he left Julie sank wearily against the wall. "I think we should write to Brooklyn and see if Spot is there."

Molly frowned. "But what if the townspeople come back for him? I mean... they can hold a grudge for a really long time, you know..."

"We can at least let him know what is going on."

"But what would stop him from rushing back?"

Julie thought about this for a moment and sighed. "I guess you're right."

 "I really don't care what either of you say. If I were Spot, I'd want to know... He'd be angry if we didn't tell him... I'm writing him." Chris interrupted.

"Wait, Chris.  Write him, but don't tell him everything.  Just that Doc told Rae to stay in bed."

"He'll want to know why the Doc was here in the first place."

"Then tell him about Andy's broken arm!"

He gave her a long hard look before sighing and nodding. "Fine."

"Would you like me to write the letter?"

Chris sighed again. "Sure, sure..." Turning, he walked off down the hall, looking none too happy that he had been talked out of writing the letter the way HE thought it should have been written.

"Your brother doesn't like to lose to you, does he?" Molly commented with a slight grin.

"He just doesn't like to be wrong," Julie said.

"Typical men," Molly teased.

Julie sighed and pushed herself away from the wall. "I better get that letter written."

* * *

"Spot!" Hades yelled loudly, walking into the lodging house's parlor, brandishing a dingy envelope. "Letter for you!"

Spot, who had fallen asleep on the couch, despite the noise in the room, sat up suddenly. "What?"

"Letter. For you." She dropped the letter in his lap.

"Thanks," he said around a yawn.

"Mm, no problem." She hovered over his shoulder. "Well.... open it..."

He cracked the seal and glared up at him, "Privacy?"

"Conlon, I thought you knew that nothing was private in Brooklyn," Hades said, but she backed off when he gave her 'The Look'.

He pulled the letter out of the envelope and leaned back on the couch again, propping his feet up. After a few moments, Spot set down the letter with a frown.

"So?" Hades began, approaching him again. "What's it say?"

"Andy broke his arm and the doctor has ordered Rae to bed until the baby comes."

"Wonder why a doctor would do that? And it sounds like that Andy kid is becoming a spittin' image of you!" She clapped Spot's shoulder.

"Julie didn't say."

After a moment, she shrugged. "Well, I guess they would have told you if it was anything serious right?"

"Yeah. I can't help but worry though."

"Eh, then go back and visit! You've been here too long!" she teased.

"Those townspeople are probably waiting for me at the train station with their guns and ropes."

"It's been months... do you REALLY think they'd wait for you THAT long?"

Spot sighed. "I don't know."

"Well... I don't know what to tell you, Conlon..." Hades shrugged.

"They would have told me if it was really bad, right?"

"Yeah... I guess so." Hades shrugged again.

"Then I guess I'll wait and see if things get worse."

"Isn't Rae due to have her baby sometime... soon?"

"Around Christmas, but that's not for another month."

"Mm, wow, a Christmas baby... not like you two have enough kids as it is..." She grinned when Spot gave her a slightly agitated look. 

"Unless you have something to say to make me feel better, shut it and leave."

"You know we love you Conlon." She patted his shoulder and walked out. "Oh," she called back, "and I'm thinking of raising your lodging! Sweet dreams!"

"If you do that I'll go home and never come back, Hades!"

"Good! My plans exactly!" She poked her head back into the room and grinned. "Besides, I'M not your wife."

With a growl he shoved himself off the couch and stormed her direction.

"I'm just saying maybe you should go home and see your family again. I know if Mush left me like that, I'd be worried sick."

"I told you, I can't go home without putting them in danger."

"I think worrying is just as dangerous as muttonheads with guns... but maybe that's just me..."

He threw his hands in the air. "I'm not going to argue with you anymore.  I'm doing this for them."

"Are you sure?" she asked before walking away again.

"Why do you think I haven't been sleeping nights! I'm worried sick about them, but I can't do anything for them except stay away!"

"You don't know that. You haven't been back to even find out!"

"I know what is best for my family!"

"No, Spot. I think you only THINK you do."

With that he turned and stormed up the stairs and slamming the door to his room shut.

"You know I'm right!" Hades hollered up the stairs before heading out the door, shaking her head. "Sometimes he's so thick headed."

* * *

Rae sat up in the bed and put her socked feet on the floor, while reaching for her robe.  She had been stuck in this bed for over a week and she felt fine.   She stood to her feet and took two steps before the door opened and Molly entered with Kendra in her arms.

Right away, Molly set Kendra down to let her crawl around a bit, grabbed Rae's shoulders, and guided her back to the bed. "No. Back to bed you go. Doc said you could lose your baby if you don't stay in bed."

"I'm sick and tired of sitting in that bed all day," Rae protested.

"Do you want to lose this baby?" Molly snapped in a very stern manner.

"No!"

"Then back in bed, missy!" 

Rae sighed and crawled back into the bed. "I'm bored, Molly. If I stay in this bed any longer I'm going to loose my mind."

"Read, do a word puzzle, write Spot, sew some baby clothes," she rattled off, pulling the blankets over Rae as if she were the adult instead of a young girl.

"Put Kendra up here. Maybe she can keep me company for a while."

Crouching down, she picked up the little girl and set her on Rae's bed, where she proceeded to crawl around again.

"I came up to find out if you were hungry," Molly said.

"Starving" was her reply as she watched with a little smile as Kendra crawled up to her and used Rae's shoulder to help her stand.

"Then I'll be right back with some food. And no getting out of bed."

She gave a sigh and nodded. "I won't, I won't."

"Good!" Molly said, jumping to her feet and running from the room.

Rae rested her head on Kendra's as the girl grasped her ears and looked back at her seriously. "Sometimes they are worse than Spot. No, I take that back- MOST of the time they are." She smiled a little as Kendra gave her input in little utterances that were supposed to resemble words in baby jargon.

Rae sighed. "He is even more stubborn and ornery when he's sick.  If he were here, he might just side with me."

_Cough, cough._

_Rae turned to see Spot staggering down the streets of Brooklyn, looking a bit green, and trying to sell his newspapers. "Spot Conlon! I thought I told you to stay in bed! You're going to get even sicker!"_

_He gave her a smirk. "Hey, it gets more papes sold." He held up his load of newspapers, showing off that he had already sold more than half._

_She took the papers from him. "Go. Back. To. Bed."_

_He grabbed the papers back from her. "I can't pass up the opportunity to take advantage of this little cold!"_

_"When you drop dead, I will laugh and tell everyone that I told you to go back to bed."_

_"And then I'll come back to haunt you and say 'look, I made enough to feed someone for a week' and -I- will laugh. Besides, it's not THAT bad." He coughed again._

_"That cough is horrible."_

_"It's just a cough, I've had them before. Will you stop worrying?"_

_She pulled her hole-filled glove off her hand and placed it on his forehead. "You've got a fever."_

_He sighed and shifted his weight. "You can't tell just by a touch... For all you know, it could be from me going up and down the streets selling my papes."_

_"Your face is pale. That cough is getting worse. I bet it hurts for you to talk, right?"_

_"No," he muttered. To tell the truth, it hurt more to keep his head up and his eyes open. And his papers were heavier than they should have been._

_"Look me in the eye and tell me that lie again."_

_"It's not a lie... don't you have your OWN papers to sell?" he asked grouchily._

_"Yes, I do, but I'm not the one KILLING MYSELF to sell them."_

_"I'm not killing myself!"_

_She sighed. "Good. Since you aren't killing yourself, how about selling my papers so that I can take a nap, since you kept me up half the night with that cough?"_

_"Fine. I will!" he retorted, grouchier than ever, which was unnatural, even for Spot Conlon. She handed him her papers and walked around the corner, but instead of going to the lodging house, she stood and watched. With extreme exertion, Spot hefted the newspapers over his shoulder and staggered down the street. Rae followed him for a couple of blocks before he bent over coughing, dropping the papers in the muddy street. He muttered in an agitated, incoherent way, plopping to his knees to try and dig the papers out of the muck, but he suddenly started seeing double and couldn't grasp the papers very well. _

_Rae walked over to him and held out her hand. "Forget the papers. Let's get you back to the lodging house and back in bed."_

_"I'm... I'm fine!" he argued, shooing her hand away, clawing at the street just to the left of his papers. "Why won't these stupid things stay still?!"_

_She plopped to her knees next to him and picked up the papers and placing one of them in his hands.  "You aren't fine Spot."_

_"Yes I am," he almost whimpered._

_She reached out and jerked his head up roughly. "How many fingers am I holding up?" she asked holding up two fingers._

_"Four! See I told you I'm fine."_

_"No you're not. Unless I don't know my numbers, one and one make TWO. Now come ON!" Grabbing his arm, she hauled him to his feet. "I'll drag you if I have to," she threatened, when he moved to protest._

_"Fine! But I can walk on my own. I have an image to protect after all."_

_"Fine. But if you fall, what will that say about your image? Either way, it's going to get a bruising."_

_"If you let me fall, I'll soak ya!"_

_"Not like this, you won't. You'll end up hitting a tree or something."_

_He grabbed her arm. "Just get me back to the lodging house, without making me look like a total idiot," he muttered in her ear._

_"I think you've already done a fine job of that yourself, Mr. Conlon," she retorted._

"What was that Rae?" Molly asked as she entered the room, a tray of food in her hands.

Rae blinked, coming out of her daze. "What was what?"

"You were murmuring something when I walked in."

"Oh... I was just reminiscing."

"Well you reminisced Kendra right to sleep," Molly said, motioning to the sleeping baby.

Rae glanced down and laughed a little. "I guess I did."

"If you'll take the tray I'll move her back to her bed."

"Leave her, she's fine."

"You sure? She kicks."

"It can't be any worse than this baby kicking," Rae said, wincing as the baby kicked her.

Molly smiled. "I know how that is." She frowned a bit and then set the tray across Rae's lap. "Chris made the biscuits so... they're a little... hard..." She took a biscuit and banged it against the tray. The little lump of bread didn't break. "I suggest dipping it in the stew to soften it up a bit."

Rae laughed slightly.  "At least they look better than my first batch of biscuits."

Molly grinned.

Rae smiled at Molly. "Go eat. You can come back for the tray later."

"Alright. I'll be back for it when I'm done."

Rae stirred the stew as Molly left the room and allowed herself to be pulled on another trip down memory lane.

_Rae kicked open the door to the spare room and entered the room with a tray of soup in her hands. As she expected, Spot wasn't in bed, but sitting outside on the fire escape. "Conlon!" she yelled, " get back in here!"_

_"If you won't let me sell my papes, the least you could do is let me sit outside. I'm about to go crazy in there."_

_"Get back in here before I am forced to drag you in and tie you down so you can't move!"_

_"Alright, alright, I'm coming, but know that I will get you back for this torture."_

_"It's called getting better. You're sick as a dog- no pun intended."When he didn't retort, but instead dropped onto the bed, she knew that something was wrong. And so, she asked, "What's wrong?"_

_"I'm sick," he shot at her. "I'm dizzy, seeing double, my head hurts, I can barely talk, this blasted cough is driving me and everyone else crazy and you ask what's wrong."_

_She glared at him. "Well, I had to ask when you didn't argue with my dog remark."_

_"I'm keeping count Kelly. I will get you for every insult."_

_"Now THAT sounds more like you."_

_He caught sight of the tray of food. "Take it back, I'm not hungry."_

_"Eat, it will help you get better." She set the tray on his lap._

_"My throat hurts to bad."_

_She picked up the spoon and dipped it in the broth, carefully lifting it to his lips. "Eat!"_

_He pursed his lips._

_"I know where you're ticklish... I will not hold back if you don't open your mouth."_

_"Spot Conlon is not..." he trailed off when she slipped the spoon into his mouth._

_"And you really should stop talking about yourself in third person."_

_"You tricked me! I'll get you for that."_

_"So I've heard."_

_"I will, I-"_

_She shut him up by spooning some more broth into his mouth. "Keep talking, Conlon. I may actually get you to eat this whole bowl."_

_With his lip twitching a bit, he took the spoon from her. "I can feed myself," he grumbled a bit, beginning to eat._

_She sat back and watched him, "I was beginning to wonder."_

_"That's another on your running tally, Kelly."_

_She shook her head, "You don't scare me Conlon."_

_"I know- I have to work on that."_

_"Good luck. Now shut up and finish."_

_"Yes SIR!"_

_She stuck her tongue out at him and then sat in silence until he finished. "Now sleep!" she ordered taking the tray with the empty bowl from him._

_"I swear, I don't know whether to feel sorry for or jealous of the guy who'll end up marrying you."_

_"I just hope he's nothing like you!"_

Rae laughed a little. What an odd way for things to turn out. Spot was the last person in the world she had planned on marrying....yet she did. And she was quite happy in their marriage, another thing she hadn't expected. Life had taken another unexpected twist when she found out that she was pregnant, after they had been told that they wouldn't have children.

Picking up a biscuit she took a bit and winced when her teeth didn't even go through it. She stuck it end down in the stew to let it, hopefully, soak up some of the juice. She bit off a corner. It wasn't half bad this way. She would have to congratulate Chris on his attempts. This biscuit had the taste a biscuit was supposed to have- sort of, at least. Oh well...if Spot got home before the baby was born, he could give Chris a hand with the cooking.

'He'd better be home,' she thought with a frown. Kendra rolled over and snuggled up closer to Rae.  Rae reached down and stroked the girl's hair. "He WILL be home."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

Spot stared at the blank sheet of paper that had been on the rickety table in his little room for the past three days. Pulling out a chair, he sat down and picked up the grubby pencil that was next to it and stared at the paper some more. 

He tapped the end of the pencil on the paper a few times before leaning over and scrawling, My Darling Rae,  He sat back up and scratched his head. Was that appropriate? What if one of the kids picked it up? He imagined they'd be upset he hadn't included them in the letter. Decisions, decisions...

He let his head fall to the table with a loud thud.  Why was this so hard?  It shouldn't be that hard to write to them and say that he missed them, should it?

"Well, if it's not hard, why can't I do it?" he asked himself. He was very close to whining. He hit his head on the table a few more times and then stood, "I give up," he muttered, leaving the room.

"That's the third time today," Shadow commented, watching him walk out.

"He's going to make himself sick with all this worrying," Hades mused.

"I think we should MAKE him go back home..." she replied, watching him pace in front of the lodging house. She laughed a little. "He looks ridiculous doing that...."

"But he'll do it until he's too tired to think straight and then he will fall asleep on the couch, just like he's done every night since he got here."

"You think he'll fight to much if we bind and gag him and send him on a train home?"

"Maybe we should get Trent to drug him first."

"It couldn't hurt," Shadow replied with a shrug and a slight grin.

Hades shook her head. "We have to do something or he is going to drive all of us crazy."

"Going to? He's ALREADY driven ME crazy."

"How long until Christmas?" Hades asked.

"Two weeks. Two very long weeks."

Hades sighed. "We have a lot of work to do..."

"We better get started."

"Right."

* * *

Kendra sat on the bed in Rae's room prattling on in adorable way that all babies do.  Rae was not really paying attention and it was as if Kendra knew it.

Rae smiled absently, patting the girl's head.

Kendra pulled herself to her feet and patted Rae's face. "Mama!"

She finally looked at Kendra and smiled again. "Yes, sweetheart?"

Kendra sat back down and began prattling again.  Rae sighed. "You haven't a worry in the world, do you, baby?"

She just chattered on.

Rae closed her eyes and leaned her head back, allowing a single tear to find it's way down her cheek.

Crawling over, Kendra said, "Mama," again and patted her face once more.

Rae stroked the little girl's hair. "Mama's fine sweetheart. She just misses Daddy."

"Dada..." she repeated.

Rae gasped and her face contorted in pain as her hand went to rest on her stomach.

As if on cue, a few moments later, Julie walked in with a tray of food. "Hungr- what's wrong?"

"Go get Doc," Rae whimpered.

She set the tray aside. "Right." And then she darted out the door.

"Mama," Kendra cried, confusion marking her little brow.

"It's all right sweetie," she replied, screwing up her face. "It's all right."

Andy stuck his head in the room. "Momma? Are you alright?"

"Just a little hurt is all... I'm sure I'll be fine..."

"I don't want you to hurt."

She smiled, wincing a little. "Julie's getting the doctor right now. He'll fix me up."

"Mama," Kendra cried, clinging to Rae.

"Shh, sweetheart." She stroked Kendra's hair. "Go get Molly, Andy."

Andy darted out the door and returned a moment later, dragging Molly by the hand.

"Here, could you try calming her down? She's getting scared and clingy... and... well... it's not really helping... if you know what I mean..." She kissed the top of Kendra's head as the little girl clung tightly to her.

Molly pried Kendra away from Rae and stuck her head out the bedroom door. "CHRIS!" she yelled.

"What?" he yelled back.

"I need some help up here!"

"All right, just a minute."

"NOW!"

"Okay okay- OW!" A few seconds later he entered the room limping.

"What did you do?"

"Banged my shin on the little table in the hall... the one with the candles on it..."

Molly pried Kendra's arms from around her neck and handed her to Chris.  "Take them downstairs to play...Unless you want to be here when Rae has her baby."

"Uh... nope, I don't think I want to see that- Come on Kendra. Aw, no tears now. We're going to play a game!... as soon as I can think of one that you would understand..." And he left the room.

"Go with him, Andy," Molly said, gently prodding Andy toward the door.

"But... will Momma be okay??" he asked worriedly.

"She'll be fine."

"Can I give her a hug?"

She glanced at Rae.

Rae nodded.  "A quick hug," she whispered.

He darted over, gave her a hug, and then ran from the room.

* * *

"We should send Spot a telegram," Julie said as she and Molly paced in the living room.  Chris was nowhere to be found and Kendra and the twins were asleep on the couch.

"It won't get to him in time,... will it?" Molly asked.

"Maybe not before the baby is born, but soon after."

She nodded in agreement. "He will be upset if he misses it though.... just his luck the townspeople thought he killed someone... These people... they're gullible sometimes..."

"Do you want to go? Or do you want me to go?" Julie asked.

"I've already sent for him," Chris replied from the doorway.  Julie slowly made her way over to him and hugged him, trembling. Chris patted his sister's head. "I'm scared, Chris," she whispered, "What if something happens to Rae?"

"All we can do is pray," he replied.

* * *

Spot nervously paced the front room of the lodging house as Hades, Shadow and Blank sat on the stairs watching.  "Will you just go home, already?" Hades said around a yawn.

"I can't-"

"Spot!" Shadow began, "it's 3 days before Christmas! Don't you want to be with your family on Christmas?!"

"Yes, I want to be with them on Christmas...I promised the twins I would be back before Christmas...but they'll just have to understand why I can't."

"Somehow, I don't think they WILL understand," Blank said.

There was a tapping at the door.

Hades rose to answer it and after a moment returned with a small official looking envelope.

"For you," she said, handing it to him.

"What if it's bad news? I can't read it," he said, shoving it back towards her.

"Get over your self pity Spot! Read it! It's your family!" she snapped, slapping him across the face.

He stared at her in shock for a moment, before he murmured, "Thanks" and took the envelope.

She smiled smugly. "Any time. And I mean it."

He sent her a look, before he turned his back on the threesome and opened the telegram.

"What's it about?" Hades asked after a moment.

"Hades, you're being nosy," Blank pointed out.

"Your point is?"

Spot dropped the paper to the ground and pushed past them, running up the stairs two at a time.  Hades crept over and picked up the paper that he had dropped.

Shadow's curiosity took over. "What does it say?"

"Rae's really bad off and they've called the doctor and the baby will most likely be born before tonight or tomorrow."

"Wow..."

A moment later Spot ran down the stairs, bag in hand. "Tell Jecca goodbye for me," he said, pausing in front of his three friends.

They nodded solemnly.

"Go!" Hades said, shoving him toward the door.

"I'm going, I'm going. Thanks guys."

* * *

Chris sat on the couch with Julie sleeping against his shoulder and Ann curled up sleeping with her head in his lap.  Molly was in the rocking chair with Kendra while Andy slept draped across an overstuffed chair.  "Is it supposed to take this long?" Chris asked.

"All depends on the woman," Molly said with a yawn. "Pa says Ma was in labor with me for a day and a half..."

"Good grief," Chris said, yawning as well.

"Yes..." she replied slowly with a little nod.

Ann sat up at that moment and rubbed her eyes sleepily. "I want Momma," she whimpered.

Chris patted her back gently. "Not right now, Annie. We have to wait 'til Doc says."

"But I had a bad dream," she cried.

"Shh... We're all here with you."

"Daddy tried to come home but those mean men hurted him."

Chris stroked her hair. "Um..." How was he supposed to deal with a child's nightmare? "Well... it ... was just a bad dream. He's far away and safe from those mean men."

"You promise?" she asked, looking up at him with trust-filled eyes.

Chris nodded.

She settled back down on the couch.  "I miss Daddy."

He patted her head. "He misses you too."

After a moment she fell asleep again and Chris exchanged a worried look with Molly.

"I hope he actually COMES home..." she said finally.

The door flew open, startling the two concious occupants of the room.

"What the...?" Chris muttered, easing up from the couch.

Spot stepped into the doorway. "How is she?"

"The baby's fine, but Mrs. Conlon has me concerned," Doc said, stepping up behind Spot.

Spot whipped around, startled. After recovering, he demanded to know what he meant. "Where is she?"

"She was in labor for nearly twenty-four hours and is now sleeping...I think."

Spot shoved past the doctor and ran up the stairs. He stopped in the doorway of the bedroom.  Rae's face was almost as white as the pillow on which her head lay. "Rae?" he whispered, rushing over to her side. When she didn't move, he gently took her hand in his, kissing the back of it.

"Wake up..." He gripped her hand tightly. "Please..." He begged after a moment, tears filling his eyes.

But she was motionless, her breathing shallow.

With a shaking hand, he reached up and brushed the tangled, sweat-drenched hair from her face. "Don't do anything stupid," he murmured, standing to kiss her gently. He started to leave the room when a faint whimper near the fireplace stopped him.

Spot walked over to the fireplace, where a small form squirmed in the little cradle that Kendra had once slept in. He crouched down.

"Why don't you hold your son, Mr. Conlon," Doc suggested from the doorway.

Spot glanced at him and then looked down at the little infant again. "My son..." he murmured.

He slowly reached down and grasped on of the baby's small fists.  "He's so tiny."

Doc smiled. "Yes... You have every right to be a very proud father. He's a very beautiful baby."

With a deep sigh Spot glanced back over his shoulder at the bed. "What's wrong with her Doc?"

"Exhaustion is all I can really evaluate right now... it was a difficult delivery."

"I should have come back sooner," Spot murmured.

The baby reached up and grasped Spot's finger tightly. Ever so gently he lifted his son into his arms, and slowly standing to his feet he walked over to the bed and sat on the edge of it.  "He's beautiful Rae," he whispered.

* * *

Spot wearily walked down the stairs and collapsed on the empty couch in the living room.

"What's happened?" Molly asked after a moment.

"We can't get her to wake up.  Doc says he thinks it's from exhaustion."

She nodded. "Actually having a baby is a lot of hard work..."

Spot nodded wearily.

"Why don't you get some sleep," Chris suggested.

"Not until Rae wakes up," Spot said.

"It might be some time," Molly pointed out.

"I don't care! I want to be with my wife when she wakes up, I've been gone long enough as it is."

Doc came downstairs during the exchange. "It won't do either of you any good if you don't get some rest young man. You could end up worse off than she is."

"I'll get plenty of rest sitting by her side."

He lifted a brow. "Make sure some of that rest includes some shut eye, all right?"

"Fine, but I'm not leaving that room."

With a gentle smile, Doc nodded. "That's fine..."

"May I go back up there now?"

Waving his hand towards the staircase, he nodded again. "I know you've been patient-"

"As patient as one can be, when one is Spot Conlon," Chris said.

"Don't start with me, Chris," Spot warned as he left the room.

"I was only trying to lighten the mood, Spot!" he called out after him.

But Spot was too far up the stairs to hear.  He entered the bedroom and once again knelt beside the bed.  "You've got to wake up," he pleaded as he ran his hand over her hair again. He leaned forward, resting his chin on the edge of the bed, watching her, taking her hand to stroke it gently.

"We need you sweetheart...-I- need you." He kissed the top of her hand and squeezed it. "I need you," he repeated.

* * *

Unable to quench the hunger pains in his stomach, Spot managed to stumble down the stairs to the kitchen when he smelled coffee and bacon the next morning.  He was exhausted after having spent the whole night sitting on the floor by the bed, but he couldn't sleep any more now then he did when he was in Brooklyn.

"Morning," Julie said, nodding as he plodded heavily into the kitchen. 

"Morning," he mumbled, helping himself to a cup of coffee.

"How's Rae?" she ventured to ask.

"The same as she was last night," he answered, staring into his cup.

Squeezing his shoulder, she said, "She'll get better..."

He nodded.  "Are the twins up yet?"

She shook her head. "No... I thought it might be good to let them sleep in... if that's all right with you, I mean."

"That's fine.  Let me know when they are awake, but don't let them know that I'm here."

She gave him a puzzled look. "Okay?... But... why not?"

"Because I don't want them running in there and disturbing Rae."

"Okay."

"Thanks Julie," he said, ruffling her hair and plodding back up the stairs.

He entered his and Rae's room a moment later and resumed his position beside her. As he sat there watching her, his mind was flooded with memories of their time together, both before and after their marriage.

_"Rae?"_

_She glanced over at Spot with a smile. "Yes?"_

_"Are you SURE you want to marry me? I reckon 'Sippi will still take you back, if you want to go back to him..."_

_"If I didn't want to marry you I wouldn't have said yes."_

_"Well... maybe you just thought you did... I mean... I don't want you to wake up in the morning and think 'I can't believe I married Spot. What was I thinking?'"_

_She turned him to face her.  She reached up and gently placed her hand on his scared face.  "I'm sure."_

_She smiled. "I love you very much, Spot Conlon."_

_"But how can you love a guy that looks like this?" he asked, lifting her hand away from his cheek._

_She sighed, agitated. "Spot... I wish you would stop worrying about that! I love you for who you are, not what you look like!"_

_"I just don't want you to regret...."_

_She grabbed his collar and pulled his head down, silencing him with a kiss._

_* * *_

_"I now pronounce you man and wife... you may kiss the bride," the preacher announced._

_The newly made Rae Conlon smiled at Spot. "You can't get rid of me now!" she told him._

_He smiled back. "I won't want to." And then he kissed her._

Julie stuck her head in the door. "The twins are up and they are sitting on the stairs, refusing to move until they see Rae."

Spot blinked, startled out of his reverie for a moment. "Oh... okay... um...." He glanced at Rae. He knew they'd be devastated when they walked in and saw her still asleep...

"I'll come talk to them," he said, bending to kiss Rae's forehead.

She nodded and slipped out.

He followed her a moment later. He closed the door to the bedroom and walked quietly over to stand behind Ann and Andy. "Somebody tells me that you two won't go downstairs and eat your breakfast."

They turned to him and leapt to their feet. "Daddy!" they shrieked simultaneously.

He knelt down as they both threw themselves into his arms.  "I told you I'd be back before Christmas."

They latched to him tightly.

He held them for another moment, before setting them both on their feet.  "Now, go downstairs and eat."

"Yessir."

Andy grabbed Ann's arm and pulled her down after him.

With a slight smile he moved back into the bedroom and to his place beside the bed. It was Christmas Eve.... it would be terrible if something happened... His thoughts were solemn and terribly depressing. 

"I hope you did some Christmas shopping this year Rae, because once again I didn't get the twins anything," he said. He picked up her hand and kissed it. "You know.... you have to wake up to tell me where they are..."

When she didn't respond, he sighed.  "The twins are just as stubborn as you are. They told Julie that they wouldn't eat this morning," he said, hoping that something...anything...would get a response. But there was nothing. "Come on Rae...."

The baby stirred in his cradle and began to cry. And Spot began to panic a little. What if the baby was hungry? He couldn't feed it! The poor baby would starve! He gently lifted the baby into his arms and began to pace the floor, humming a little tune. The baby continued whimpering, grasping Spot's shirt with a wildly waving hand.

Just then Molly walked in the room.  "Give him to me, Spot," she said, softly.

"But-"

"I can help. Just give him to me."

He sighed and handed his son to Molly.  She took him and turned to leave the room.

"Molly?"

She turned to him. "What?"

"... Thank you for all your help."

She smiled, "It's the least I can do. After all, you and Rae saved my life."

He smiled wearily at her.

"Get some rest," she prompted. leaving the room.

With a deep sigh, he took his place back near Rae. "If only I could...." he murmured. "But not until you wake up, Rae... Hear that?"

When she didn't respond, he wearily rested his chin on the bed.  "I'm not moving until you wake up." He knew that, if she was awake, she'd pretend not to and say "Well, I won't wake up until you move" just to tease him.

He sighed, longing to hold her in his arms after an absence of many months He even missed her witty, sometimes stinging retorts in their arguments. "If you're just doing this because I was gone for so long, I'd rather you just go ahead and yell at me."

He continued to watch her, trying to use mental power to wake her. After a while, he got up and began to pace the room. He paced for a very long time. After a while, someone in the doorway cleared his throat. Looking up, Spot saw Chris.

"You're gonna wear a path in the floor doing that." He held up a tray. "I came bearing food."

"I'm not hungry, Chris."

"Either eat or go to bed. I'm here to make you do one of them."

"I can't do either."

"I can tie you up and force feed you," Chris pointed out.

Spot reached over and took a piece of bread off the tray. "Happy?"

"Eh..." He shrugged. "It's a start." He set the tray down and headed back out the door. "I'll be back in an hour. I expect it to be gone- Julie will kill you if it's not."

Shaking his head, Spot took a bite of the bread.  He really was hungry, he just didn't think he could eat anything. He took another bite. Well.... he supposed he could at least make a show of trying to eat. It would probably help keep him better awake.

But he was wrong. For not five minutes after he finished, he found himself struggling even harder to hold his eyes open.

"No... you canNOT go to sleep, Spot Conlon..... Not until Rae wakes up!"

The more he tried, the harder he got.

"Come on, come on.... Rae needs you," he said, giving himself an impromptu pep talk. After a few more minutes of useless fighting, he finally sighed in defeat and crawled in the bed next to Rae.  He wrapped his arms around her and fell asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

It was near midnight when Spot awoke. He propped himself up on his elbow and stared at Rae.  "It's almost Christmas, and you still haven't told me where you hid the presents." He gently pushed the hair from her face and kissed her pale forehead. "Wake up, please..." Sitting up, he gently lifted her into his arms, resting her head on his shoulder. He stroked her hair and as the clock began to strike midnight, he was unaware of the tears falling from his eyes.

"You're getting me wet," a small voice whispered.

He choked loudly and looked down. "Rae??"

She nodded her head weakly. "Yeah?"

He hugged her close, crying.

"Spot, you're getting me wet," she repeated, weakly reaching up to brush his fallen tears from her face.

He tried drying off his face. "You're awake, you're awake!" he whispered over and over.

She suddenly turned her face into his shoulder and began sobbing.  He stroked her hair, "What's wrong?"

"You finally came home."

He held her tightly. "Yes.... I finally came home."

"I missed you so much."

"I missed you too."

A slight whimpering was heard from across the room.  Spot gently ran his hand down Rae's cheek, before crawling out of the bed and walking over to the cradle.

"Can you bring him to me, Spot?" 

Spot gently lifted the baby into his arms and carried him over to the bed.  "Alright little guy, Momma wants you now."

He placed the baby in her arms and crawled up on the bed next to her.

"He's beautiful," she murmured, stroking his fine, dark hair.

Spot reached out and ran his finger down Rae's cheek.  She glanced over at him. "I love you," he whispered, leaning to kiss her.

She smiled. "I love you too."

He bent down to kiss her again and the baby began to fuss.

"I think he's jealous. And he hasn't been properly introduced..." She smiled and propped the baby up. "Baby... this is your daddy."

"Hello baby.... He really needs a name," Spot replied with a grin.

Rae glanced down at her son. "What about Samuel?"

"It almost seems to big of a name for him."

"Well, we can call him Sam for short."

Spot smiled. "Well, Sam...welcome to the family."

Rae yawned and rested her head against Spot's shoulder.

"Tired?" he asked. She nodded. "A don't see why," he said with a smile, "you've been sleeping for two days."

She just smiled sleepily.

"I didn't notice a tree or anything downstairs. Did you get any presents for the twins?"

She shook her head. "Chris, Molly and Julie wouldn't let me go into town and then Doc wouldn't let me out of bed."

"Why wouldn't he let you out of bed?"

She hung her head, "He said I was working to hard...."

"Rae Conlon, what will I do with you," he said with a half smile.

"Kiss me," she retorted with a slight smile.

He grinned and kissed her, laughing a little as Sam fussed again. "He doesn't like me getting too close to his Mommy."

"He better get used to it," she said, resting her weary head on Spot's shoulder.

"Indeed he better."

When she didn't answer, he glanced down at her, with a smile.  She was sound asleep again.

He slid out of bed, picking up Sam, who had dozed off as well, and placed him back in the cradle. 

He crawled back into the bed and pulled Rae back into his arms. "Merry Christmas, Baby," he whispered, kissing her forehead.

* * *

"It's Christmas, it's Christmas!" a voice was shrieking throughout the halls.

Spot sat up suddenly, jolting Rae who sat up as well.  "I thought you said you didn't get any presents."

"I didn't," she murmured sleepily, stretching.

"Then what's all the yelling about?"

She shrugged. "Let's go find out."

"No. You are staying here. I'll go find out."

"No! Spot Conlon, I am going down there! I want to be with my family Christmas morning!"

"Then I will carry you down," he said, handing her the robe that was draped across a nearby chair.

"Fine."

He helped her into the robe and then lifted her into his arms. "I'm bringing you back up here at the first sign of fatigue."

"Spot.. I'm fine, I promise."

"I'm not taking any chances, sweetheart.  You had both me and Doc pretty scared."

She sighed and shook her head, but smiled anyway. "Downstairs, cabby."

"Yes, ma'am," he said with a grin.

Her smile broadened.

He carried her downstairs and set her on the couch.  The twins crawled up on the couch next to her. "Look, Momma!" Ann squealed.  "Presents!"

And Rae did look- very wide-eyed, she stared at the tree propped up in the corner of the room, prettily decorated and surrounded by presents of all sorts.

She looked up at Spot to ask if he had done this, but after seeing the look of shock on his face she decided against it.

Julie and Molly wandered sleepily down the stairs a moment later, followed by Chris.

"What in the world?" Molly gasped.

"I'm guessing that you three had no idea about this either," Spot said.

"Any idea about what?" Chris asked. "You mean... you didn't do this?"

"No," Spot said shaking his head.

Molly set the squirming Kendra down on the floor and she crawled over to Rae. "Mama!"

"Hi baby," she said with a smile, picking Kendra up.

"Rae!" Spot hissed. "Take it easy!"

 "Spot, calm down! I'm just picking her up! I'm still sitting on the couch. I'll be fine!"

He knelt down beside her. "Just humor me."

"Spot..." She sighed. "All right... I will, for now."

"Mama!" Kendra said, pulling on Rae's robe and throwing her free hand toward Spot.

"That's Daddy, honey."

She cocked her head to the side. "Dada?"

Spot smiled and crouched down. "Hello Miss Kendra. Remember me?"

She reached out for him, hesitantly. Holding out his hand, he let her take her time. She put a baby hand on his cheek and babbled something.

He smiled, taking her hand and patted her head gently.

She threw herself at him and latched her arms tightly around his neck.

He smiled, hugging her. "Why thank you, Miss Kendra."

He kissed her forehead. "Alright, let's see who all these presents belong to."

"And who they're from," Rae murmured.

Spot bent down and picked up a single package. "From Kris Kringle."

Chris picked up another one. "This one says from Saint Nick."

"Santa Claus," Julie said, reading the tag of the package in her hand.

Rae glanced at Spot wide-eyed.

"Chris, did you say Saint Nick?"

He nodded, too busy rifling through the other presents to pay attention to the name.

Rae glanced at Spot. "It couldn't be?"

Spot tilted his head. "No way...."

"It would explain a lot of things."

"Yes... it would... You don't think... they had anything to do with the baby...?"

She shook her head quickly.

"I can't believe we never knew," he finally said, plopping down next to her.

"I don't think we were paying all that much attention."

"Well... yeah, but now that I think of it.... it was so obvious...." He shook his head and smiled.

Rae suddenly gasped.

"What?"

"We forgot about Sam," she whispered.

"I'll get him," Spot replied.

As he left the room, Ann shrieked in delight. "Look Momma, a book!"

Rae smiled, looking at her. "What book is it, sweetheart? Let me see."

Ann ran over to her. Rae opened the cover and smiled. "It's a book of fairy tales." Ann jumped excitedly. Rae set the book aside. "I'll read it to you later."

She squeaked happily and bounced off to her other presents.

Spot slipped back in the room unnoticed.  He sat down next to Rae. She glanced at him with a smile. He slipped his free arm around her and kissed the side of her head. "It's good to be home."

"It's good to have you home," she murmured.

Andy suddenly glanced over his shoulder. "Is that the baby?" he asked curiously.

Spot and Rae smiled. "Yes."

"Can I see?" he asked.

"Certainly," Spot said, pulling back the corner of the blanket Sam was wraped in.

"What's its name?" he asked as he and Ann crept closer.

"Sam. His name is Sam," Rae replied.

"He's little like my baby doll," Ann commented.

Rae smiled.

"Can I hold him?" Chris asked.

"Sure..." Spot stood and crossed the room. "Just be careful."

"Don't worry," Chris said, carefully taking Sam in his arms.

Rae glanced around the living room and smiled at the actions of her family members- playing, looking at the new addition, opening presents, talking... being... a family.

THE END!!!!!!!!!

AN: Wow….another one bites the dust….Rabbit and I want to apologize for taking so long between chapters, but our schedules conflicted quite a bit this semester.  Rest assured, this is not the end for the Conlon family. We have much more planned for them in the years that follow this story.  As an effort to show you how much we love all of our reviewers, we have written a nice little teaser for the next fic: Rebel Without a Cause.

THUD!

Chris sat up with a jolt.  He hadn't meant to doze off. Not really anyway.  A quick glance showed that Sam was still sleeping in his cradle. "What in the world-?" he murmured drowsily. What could have possibly made such an odd noise? A loud wail suddenly reached his ears.

He dashed through the door into the entry way and discovered Kendra on her back on the floor next to the stairs.  As he started to move to her, the front door opened and Rae and Spot rushed in.

"What happened?!" Spot demanded.

"I don't know!" Chris answered as Rae knelt next to Kendra and took the screaming baby into her arms.

"Well, what were YOU doing when this happened?! Don't you know you need to keep an eye on her?!" Rae exclaimed.

"I'm sorry. I was in the living room and I guessed I must have dozed off."

"Dozed off? Dozed OFF?!" Spot yelled.

"I didn't mean to!" Chris yelled back.

"You didn't mean to?" Spot questioned.  "Like you didn't mean to set the curtain in your room on fire? Or how about leaving Ann and Andy out in the woods?"

"I didn't mean any of those things!" Chris bellowed.

"Your irresponsibility is getting out of hand-"

"I'm not irresponsible!" He clenched his fists, as if ready to strike Spot.

"It's not just the irresponsibility, Chris! It's your attitude!  You sulk around the house all day long snapping at anyone who dares speak to you!"

"I don't have an attitude!" he bellowed.

"Chris..." Julie began.

"Leave me alone!" He roughly pushed his sister out of the way.

Without warning Spot shoved the boy up against the wall. "That's what I'm talking about Chris! Now pack your bags and get out!"

"Oh great! Where am I gonna go, genius?!"

"That's it... I'm taking you to Brooklyn. Pack Up! Now!"

"You aren't being serious?"

"Do I look like I'm jokin? NOW!"

Chris turned to Rae, who was still sitting on the floor with Kendra clinging to her. "Surely you aren't going to let him do this to me?"

Rae looked at him. "He told you to pack, young man, didn't he?"

"What about Julie?"

"Julie is free to stay or go. It's her choice," Spot answered.


End file.
